Michigan Special Olympics Area 11 (Kent and Barry Counties)

2012 Unified Golf @ Fellowship Greens

Instruction begins Thursday, May 10th, 2012, 6:00-7:00 p.m. with season start June 1st

Located at 3450 - 36th St. SE, Kentwood Clubhouse phone: (616) 942-1330

What is Special Olympics Unified Golf?

Unified Sports Team Play Competition is a format where a Special Olympian player teams with a non-Special Olympics player (a Partner) of equal or more advanced skill and knowledge (such as a parent, relative, guardian or friend) for nine-hole alternating-shot (Special Olympian and Partner take turns playing one ball) format play and eventual competition. (Partners are recruited for Special Olympians who need one.)

FREE* Instruction! - Instructional time is held three successive Thursday evenings focusing on the skills of
Driving/Long Irons (May 10th), Chipping (May 17th), and Putting (May 24th) from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at FGGC; a minitournament concludes 17th and 24th for the Best Team of Chippers and of Putters. May 31st is our backup date if weather cancels us out May 10, 17, or 24. (You do not have to have played golf before, but you will need access to use of a set of golf clubs.) Participation in the instruction is not required for those wishing to play during the season.

FREE* play! - Season signup is required giving first and last names of both golfers; email Ken Soper to do so, or
Jolon Hull at the Area 11 office (email addresses below). Deadline is May 24th, 5 pm. Those not signing-up by this deadline will be required to pay the full nine-hole round fee/golfer each time they play.

Two flights are scheduled weekly beginning June 1st (Friday flights tee-off at 2:00 pm) and June 2nd (Saturday
flight at 3:30 pm). Unified teams (a Special Olympian and a Partner) may once/week play FREE* rounds of 9 holes with each days sign-in on a first-come basis; each team needs to identify themselves as a SO Unified team at the clubhouse counter (or you pay-to-play). The Fridays/Saturdays are June 1-2, June 8-9, 15-16, 2223, 29-30 & July 6-7.

Area 11 Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, July 21st with shotgun start at 3:30 pm.

To qualify, golfers must have played a minimum of 3 rounds of 9-holes at FGGC in June/July and submitted scores at the FGGC desk each time you play. The annual Awards Potluck Picnic at the FGGC outdoor shelter picnic area following the Tournament round.

The State Tournament Teams from Area 11 are selected in late June to represent our Area with the event
being held this year on Thursday, July 19th, at Pine View Golf Course, Ypsilanti (www.pineviewgc.com). This annual State Tournament site is just south of I-94 and east of US-23. Play begins about 8:30 am. Carpooling can easily be arranged to drive over early and return late afternoon.
Area 11 contacts for FGGC-based Area 11 Unified Golf season are Jolon Hull, Special Olympics Area 11 office (616) 583-1202, hull1jb@cmich.edu, and FGGC Unified Golf Program Coordinators, Ken Soper (616) 813-4998, kensoper@yahoo.com, and Mike Schmidt (616) 949-4197, schmidt_m@att.net. SO Michigan website is www.somi.org. Area 11 is in the Southwest Region.

SOMI/Area 11, 1239 76th Street SW, Suite E, Byron Center, Michigan 49315, (616) 583-1202

Michigan Special Olympics Area 11 (Kent and Barry Counties)

A BIG Thank You again Jim Timmer, Staff and Fellowship Greens members! Many, many thanks go to Fellowship Greens Golf Course (FGGC) Manager Jim Timmer who has made our 2012 and previous seasons possible! FGGC is owned and operated by the Christian Reformed Church of North America. To assist the staff of FGGC, Special Olympians and Partners have been asked for their cooperation by please adhering to the following guidelines: First, both Special Olympians and Partners must sign-in at the Clubhouse before beginning play each day and wear SO shirts each time they play rounds of golf. This will help FGGC staff in the clubhouse and on the course know that golfers are participating in the Unified golf program. If you need a SO shirt, please let us know. Second, Partners ideally should be the same person each time that instruction is held (if attending) and in rounds played on Fridays/Saturdays or any other day. This will help each Special Olympian learn and enjoy golfing to the fullest.

Special Olympians following these guidelines will always play FREE as do Partnerswith one exception: when Partners play rounds with their Special Olympian on days and times other than the above Friday and Saturday dates and times, FGGC has asks that only the Partner pays the fee per nine-holes played. The only other cost would be golf cart rental ($15 for 9-holes) or golf bag two-wheeled carriers ($1 each for 9-holes). Golfers are URGED to consider a FGGC family or share a membership with another SO Unified golf team, especially if intending to play more rounds through the season to enjoy and improve their skills. See the FGGC staff and website for activities and more information or go to: http://sites.google.com/site/crreccenter/golf. FGGC Parent/Child 9-Hole Scramble Tournament Tuesday, June 12th, 8 am-1 pm Heres an outstanding opportunity early in the season to Special Olympian/Partner teams to test your skills after our Instructional School, and help us continue to enjoy playing each year at Fellowship Greens! Fellowship Greens is sponsoring this very affordable scramble, shot-gun start tournament to raise money so that they can continue to operate the course. And what a fun setup! In a scramble, each player tees off on each hole. The best of the tee shots is selected between the players on the same team and both players play their second shots from that spot. The best of the second shots is determined, then all play their third shots from that spot, and so on until the ball is holed. Shot-gun start means that all players begin play at the same time by having teams assigned to start at different tees simultaneously. Flights are created by combining the ages of the team partnersages totaling 35-54, 55-72 and 75 pluswith awards going to the team with the lowest score in each. Awards are also given for the Longest Putt-Child, Longest Putt-Parent/Adult, Longest Drive-Child, and Longest Drive-Parent/Adult. The cost is ONLY $25 per two-person team which includes a cart. Register for the Tournament by contacting Fellowship Greens, (616) 942-1330, crrcoffice@sbcglobal.net, or stopping by the FGGC Clubhouse, giving your names, phone number and bring $$$ with you June 12th.

SOMI/Area 11, 1239 76th Street SW, Suite E, Byron Center, Michigan 49315, (616) 583-1202