Gardiner’s Bay Country Club Junior Champions
Last week Gardiner’s Bay Country Club (GBCC) held its annual Junior Golf Awards End of Season Ceremony.
When a significant inaugural junior golf program began at GBCC, it was the early to mid 1960s. The program began because of two people. The tutelage of GBCC Golf Pro Emeritus Bob DeStefano, who was head professional for an incredible 50 years, was invaluable.
Coupled with the passionate organization and promotional skills of ‘Auntie’ Kay Sessa, the program was destined for greatness.
More recently, throughout the 90s and 2000s Bob’s daughter, Nancy Byrne, was immensely instrumental in taking the program to the next level with creative ideas and a zest for fun second to none.
I was, and have been, privileged to inherit such a fantastic program 13 years ago, and I can only hope I’ve done it some justice. I have to thank my assistants, Dan Lockhart, who manages the program, as well as creative professional instructors Quinn Ourada and Cara Brinster.
I would be remiss if I didn’t also thank Mary Adair Panarella and Daniel Nowikas, college students who have graduated from the program themselves and been fantastic additions to the coaching staff. Many thanks, guys!
Here’s a list of all our winners 2024 GBCC JUNIOR OF THE YEAR
— Jude Martucci
MOST IMPROVED GOLFERS
Boys — Henry Myers Girls — Parker Pettibone
‘AUNTIE’ KAY SESSA AWARD — ‘Best Attitude’ – Lillian Fabe
NANCY BYRNE AWARD — ‘Most Spirit’ – Groovy Coulson
THE CAREY CUP — Will McNulty Girls OVERALL DRIVE, CHIP & PUTT CHAMPION
Girls (8 & under) — Mary Barber Girls (9-11) — Addie Masella Girls (12+) — Charlotte Slayton Girls DRIVING CHAMPION
Girls (8 & under) — Tess Horwitz
Girls (9-11) — Annabelle Birch Girls (12+) — Lauren Lavin
Girls CHIPPING CHAMPION
Girls (8 & under) — Marielle Thomson Girls (9-11) — Minnie Rose Girls (12+) — Olivia Fabe Girls PUTTING CHAMPION
Girls (8 & under) — Gray Barber Girls (9-11) — Charlotte Fabe Girls (12+) — Zoe Daraviras Boys OVERALL DRIVE, CHIP & PUTT CHAMPION Boys (8 & under) — Gordon Barber Boys (9-11) — Julian Levine Boys (12+) — Luke Nolan Boys DRIVING CHAMPION
Boys (8 & under) – Sam Radovic Boys (9-11) — Gus Rose Boys (12+) — Miles Houston Boys CHIPPING CHAMPION
Boys (8 & under) — Simon Myers Boys (9-11) — Eli Eisenstadt Boys (12+) — William Marshall Boys PUTTING CHAMPION
Boys (8 & under) — Beck Pettibone Boys (9-11) — Dave Klenawicus Boys (12+) — Freddy Rose
