Shelter Island’s Gardiner’s Bay CC Junior Awards Ceremony

This past Sunday, Aug. 17, Gardiner’s Bay Country Club hosted its annual Junior Awards Ceremony, and it was truly a memorable evening filled with joy, laughter, and celebration. As names were called and trophies were awarded, the room was alive with smiles and cheers, reflecting the incredible spirit of our junior program.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the entire membership, our Board of Directors, and the many committees who continue to support and champion the growth of junior golf at GBCC. As golf professionals, it is our mission to not only develop young players’ skills, but also inspire a lifelong love for the game — and for Gardiner’s Bay Country Club.

This season, I was proud to launch a golf scholarship program for year-round Shelter Island residents, and was thrilled by the number of outstanding applications we received. These local participants were an incredible addition to the program and contributed immensely to the success of our summer.

We are pleased to present the full results of the 2025 GBCC Junior Program Awards at right:

Junior of the Year
— Annabelle Birch

GBCC JUNIOR
CHAMPIONSHIPS

Senior Boys Champion
— Jude Martucci

Senior Boys Runner-Up
— Darren Coyle

Senior Girls Champion
— Lauren Lavin

Senior Girls Runner-Up
— Era Inglis-Nela

Junior Boys Champion
— Read Wilutis

Junior Boys Runner-Up
— Freddy Rose

Junior Girls Champion
— Annabelle Birch

Junior Girls Runner-Up
— Minnie Rose

Most Improved Players

   Boys — Brooks Briner

   Girls — Minnie Rose

SPECIAL AWARDS

‘Auntie’ Kay Sessa Award
(Best Attitude) — Ava Johnson

Nancy Byrne Award
(Most Spirit)
— Groovy Coulson

The Carey Cup
— Henry Myers

OVERALL DRIVE, CHIP & PUTT CHAMPIONS

Boys 9 & Under — Simon Myers

   10–11 — Henry Myers

   12+ — William Marshall

Girls 9 & Under — Marielle Thomson

   10–11 — Charlotte Fabe

   12+ – Lauren Lavin

Driving Champions — Boys

   9 & Under — Hudson Bergin

   10–11 — Aidenn Beaton

   12+ — Brooks Briner

Girls 9 & Under — Maeve Murray

   10–11 — Emelia Nolan

   12+ — Annabelle Birch

CHIPPING CHAMPIONS

Boys 9 & Under — Sam Radovic

   10–11 — Oscar Sheehan

   12+ — Collins Farrell

Girls 9 & Under — Everly Thomson

   10–11 — Bella Horwitz

   12+ — Lila Notley

PUTTING CHAMPIONS

Boys

   9 & Under — Roman Bellas

   10–11 — Julian Levine

  12+ — Will Oakley

Girls

   9 & Under — Tess Horwitz

   10–11 — Groovy Coulson

   12+ — Maeve Springer

A heartfelt thank you goes out to our incredible coaching team: Valerie LaPapa, Allie Schuller, and Quinn Ourada, along with our outstanding PGA interns, Angelo Costanza and Max Vitale. I would also like to express special appreciation to Mary Adair Panarella, who has worked alongside me for six years and has become affectionately known as “Ms. Everything Junior Golf” at GBCC. Mary, currently attending Georgetown University, will be interning in Washington D.C. next summer. Mary, thank you for your dedication and countless hours — we all loved your Junior Golf Program slideshow!

Lastly, it’s important to recognize the foundation upon which our junior program was built. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Bob DeStefano, as well as Anne DeStefano and their daughter, Nancy Byrne — may Anne and Nancy rest in peace. 

For 50 years, they nurtured and shaped junior golf at GBCC, and 15 years ago, I was fortunate enough to inherit their legacy. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to carry their work forward.

Here’s to another fantastic season of junior golf at Gardiner’s Bay!