News From Goat Hill: From tees to touchdowns
Teamwork is the operative word for Shelter Island Country Club’s (SICC) next tournament.
Just as NFL teams take the field for their season openers, SICC golfers will take to the course for the two-person team “Tailgate Tourney” on Sunday, Sept. 8.
The tournament roster is filling up fast, so don’t delay. Add your name to the sign-up sheet posted outside the pro shop.
Tournament teams will play a modified Pinehurst format over nine holes and then head to the clubhouse for a tailgate party and to watch some Sunday football.
The tournament is open to all. Shotgun start is at 2 p.m., leaving plenty of time to watch the Giants at Dallas at 4:25 p.m. The Jets play the Bills at 1 p.m.
The cost is $30 for members and $45 for non-members and includes all fees, drink ticket, food and raffle ticket. Wear your favorite NFL team colors and receive an extra ticket for raffle prizes. Once again, the tournament committee would like to thank the many Islanders and Island businesses for their generous prize donations.
The Tailgate Tourney also features two football pools — one for the Jets-Bills game and the other for the Giants-Dallas game — in place of our usual 50-50 raffle. Twenty percent of the proceeds will go toward future club tournaments. The winners will be determined by first quarter, halftime, third quarter and final scores. Squares are $5 each.
You don’t have to be in the tournament to enter the pools.
Milestone for town, Goat Hill
Here’s a bit of history about the place we fondly call “Goat Hill:” It was 40 years ago that the town completed its purchase of the almost 44-acre golf course as part of a strategy to preserve open space on the Island and protect it from development.
The process to buy the property from the Shelter Island Heights Association began in 1978 by then-Supervisor Leonard T. Bliss and the Town Board. Bliss was authorized by a unanimous board vote to sign a contract of sale for what now seems like a bargain-basement price of $285,000.
Could anyone today even buy a single 1-acre lot for that price? Town residents later approved a referendum authorizing the bonds to finance the purchase, which was finalized in March 1979.
We can all be thankful that the town had the foresight to preserve this quirky golf course that was cut into the hillsides overlooking Dering Harbor and Shelter Island Sound in 1901.
Help keep Goat Hill going strong
As many know, oversight of the town-owned golf course and its golf operations are the responsibility of the SICC Board of Trustees — a hearty group of volunteers who are committed to making sure Goat Hill remains a vibrant piece of the Shelter Island community.
Several board positions are up for elections this fall:
Chair — unexpired one-year term
Vice Chair — two-year term
Secretary — two-year term
Treasurer — two-year term
Trustee — two-year term
All SICC members in good standing are eligible to run for any office on the board. If you are interested in running, or would like to nominate a member, please contact either Bill Banks or Mike Higginson of the SICC nominations committee.
Nominations must be received no later than Sept. 30 when the slate of candidates will be announced to the membership.
Elections will be held at the fall membership meeting at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 13.
