WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Unleash your inner artist by joining The Arc of Palm Beach County in a community art project. On Thursday, August 16, 2018, the public is invited to help bring a mosaic to life. The Arc and the Schumacher Automotive Group are creating a giant community art piece to express their shared vision of inclusion and acceptance. The finished mosaic will be displayed in the Schumacher showroom at 3031 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach.
Artisans from The Arc will collaborate with guests as they place tiles in the design. The art party, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., includes music, food, raffle prizes, and items for purchase made by artisans at The Arc. The Arc’s Artisan Program allows clients to use their creativity to earn an income when their art is sold.
“We are very grateful to Schumacher for hosting this event,” said Kimberly McCarten, CEO and president of The Arc of Palm Beach County. “We are always looking to align ourselves with local businesses that want to empower people with developmental disabilities. Getting the community involved with our artisans helps further that goal.”
“We have been in business for more than 47 years. Giving back to the community has always been an integral pillar of Schumacher Automotive,” Schumacher Auto President Chuck Schumacher said. “Our employees and family of dealerships do much throughout the year in donating time and money for a variety of charities.”
Express your creativity and be a part of the big picture. Space is limited, so please RSVP to the Schumacher location in West Palm Beach at 561-935-4471.
Community life continues to bloom at Arden, South Florida’s only “agrihood” and among the few places in the country to feature a farm as a central component to community life. The master-planned community in western Palm Beach County recently added John Thompson to serve as Community Manager. With residents now moved into their beautiful new homes and more families visiting each week, he will be responsible for welcoming and supporting all current and prospective homeowners.
Thompson brings to Arden extensive experience in community association management, previously serving as general manager of a property owners association in Georgia, executive director of an association in South Carolina and general manager of an outdoor resort in Long Key, FL. He additionally served as vice chair and chairman of the Community Associations Institute’s National Large-Scale Managers Committee and South Carolina’s Legislative Action Committee. He earned his associate’s degree in agriculture and bachelor’s degree in business entrepreneurship from Ferrum College, and a master’s degree in project management from The Citadel.
“Arden is by far one of the most exciting new communities being developed in Florida, with new thinking and the best of everything. I’m looking forward to putting down roots here and managing the day-to-day operations,” said Thompson. “With my professional experience and personal interest in agriculture, this is a dream job for me.”
Developed to promote healthy living, community engagement and a connection to the great outdoors, Arden will eventually include 2,000 homes that will back up to a community green space, including parks, playfields, greenways, nature trails or lakes. The scenic property features 20 miles of expertly mapped walking and biking trails; a central lake for fishing, kayaking or canoeing; parks; playfields; a two-story recreation center; and a five-acre working farm and event barn.
Arden’s focus on healthy living is enhanced by its farm and event barn. Under the direction of two skilled Farm Directors, the five-acre parcel will produce tropical fruits, vegetables and herbs to be shared among residents. The farm will also feature an event barn where residents can gather for seasonal themed events, market days and classes on a range of topics, from organic gardening to flower arranging to healthy cooking. Residents can also dig into the experience by participating in volunteer days and farm tours. Now underway, the farm and barn are expected to open later this year.
The heart of recreational activity at Arden will be the gracious two-story clubhouse, complete with a resort-style pool that cascades over two levels. The peaceful upper pool and spa are surrounded by private cabanas for those who want some quiet time, while the lower pool offers water play areas perfectly suited for families. There will also be plenty of separate indoor and outdoor gathering spaces for all ages to enjoy.
The upper level of the clubhouse will have an inviting Wi-Fi café serving coffees, lattes, juice and grab-and-go food items, including frozen treats; meeting and event rooms; and an outdoor, covered patio with a fireplace. The lower level will include a large fitness room and a private exercise studio with Wellbeats™ virtual trainers on demand.
Freehold Communities is the visionary development team behind Arden and is currently developing over 10,000 residential lots in Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, California and Florida.
Arden is located at 19425 Southern Boulevard just west of the new Palm Beach State College campus and Publix shopping center. The impressive collection of top-quality homebuilders at the 1,200-acre master-planned community includes Ryan Homes, Lennar, Kennedy Homes and Kenco Communities. Between the four builders, there are more than 20 innovative floor plans to choose from in a wide range of sizes, styles and design. For more information, please visit www.ArdenFL.com
Go Plastic Free with LMC at Marinelife Day at The Gardens Mall Sixth Annual Marinelife Day and Shop & Share at The Gardens Mall to benefit
Loggerhead Marinelife Center, educate public on ocean conservation
For the sixth year in a row, Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) will partner with The Gardens Mall to provide turtle lovers with an interactive afternoon at Marinelife Day at The Gardens Mall on Saturday, Aug. 18. The free exhibition, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Grand Court of The Gardens Mall, will highlight sea turtles and ocean conservation. This year’s theme is #PlasticFreeWithLMC which will emphasize the importance of reducing single-use plastics from our everyday routines.
With a special appearance by LMC’s mascot, Fletch, ocean-themed activities and exhibits that highlight the conservation, rehabilitation and research work carried out at Loggerhead Marinelife Center – plus chances to win exciting prizes – Marinelife Day is perfect for the whole family. Little “hatchlings” will also be able to enjoy LMC programs including Jr. Vet Learning Labs, Conservation Corner, Sea Turtle Story Time and much more.
Of course, the fun doesn’t stop there. LMC will also announce winners of LMC’s fourth annual Juno Beach Pier Photo Contest, a community photography contest powered by Facebook and Instagram with an independent panel of judges including: Michael Brown, Local photographer; Eric Call, Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation; Lori Griffith, Local photographer; Mayor Jason Haselkorn, Town of Juno Beach; Ben Hicks Local photographer; Greg Lovett, Palm Beach Post; Fatima NeJame, Palm Beach Photographic Center; Nancy Politsch, Lighthouse ArtCenter; Scott Simmons, Florida Weekly; and Mayor Todd Wodraska, Town of Jupiter. Guests will also enjoy a luxury raffle featuring donations from retailers and The Gardens Mall.
Additionally, for those needing an excuse to shop, The Gardens Mall will host a Shop & Share, donating five percent of the day’s total logged shopping receipts to Loggerhead Marinelife Center. At Marinelife Day, participants can contribute to Ocean Conservation and Sea Turtle Rehabilitation in these two “fintastic” ways:
Mention Loggerhead Marinelife Center when you show your receiptsat one of the Information Desks (Grand Court, Sears Court and Nordstrom Court)and LMC will receive five percent of the day’s total
logged receipts (up to $100,000).
Loggerhead Marinelife Center is a nonprofit sea turtle hospital that promotes conservation of ocean ecosystems with a focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles. The Center features an on-site campus hospital, research laboratory, educational exhibits and aquariums, and also operates the Juno Beach Pier, which hosts world-class angling and sightseeing. Situated on one of the world’s most important sea turtle nesting beaches, Loggerhead Marinelife Center is open daily and hosts over 350,000 guests free-of-charge each year. The Center is expanding and has launched their Waves of Progress capital expansion campaign, designed to accelerate and amplify LMC’s conservation and education impact. When complete, the facility will offer one of the world’s most advanced and unique experiences for guests and scientific partners. For more information, visit marinelife.org or call (561) 627-8280.
About The Gardens Mall
The Gardens Mall is located one mile east of I-95 on PGA Blvd. in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The luxurious, 1.4-million-square-foot, super-regional shopping center features more than 150 world-class retail specialty shops and restaurants. It is anchored by Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, and Macy’s. The Gardens Mall is owned and managed by The Forbes Company. For more information about The Gardens Mall, call (561) 775-7750 or visit the mall online at thegardensmall.com.
The Second Annual Beacon of Hope 5k walk/run, in memory of Kevin P. Enterlein, is planned for Sunday, November 18, 2018. The event will begin at Tiger Shark Cove Park at 7:30 a.m.
“Last year’s event was so much fun. It brought friends and family together for a good cause and a good time. My children and I are excited to make it even bigger and better this year”, said his wife, Andrea Enterlein. We had over 200 participants and raised close to $30,000 for Beacon of Hope.
Kevin P. Enterlein lost his battle to colon cancer in 2016. He was 51. During his time of dealing with the disease, he established Beacon of Hope, whose mission is to raise funds and provide support for underprivileged families dealing with cancer. The non-profit is now run by his wife, Andrea, and their two grown children.
All proceeds from Beacon of Hope’s 5k will benefit the Cancer Alliance of Help & Hope, Inc. a Palm Beach County, not for profit organization which eases the burden of qualified local cancer patients by paying their non-medical bills and providing information resources.
For more information, contact Andrea Enterlein at 561.603.0835.
Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund Gives Norton Museum of Art Largest Gift in its History
$16 Million Gift Supports the Campaign for the New Norton
WEST PALM BEACH, FL (July 31, 2018) – The Norton Museum of Art is pleased to announce receipt of the largest, single philanthropic gift in the institution’s 77-year history, a gift of $16 million from the Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund (funded exclusively by philanthropist, Kenneth C. Griffin), in support of the Campaign for The New Norton. The Museum’s $100 million campaign includes the construction of a state-of-the-art, 59,000-square-foot wing designed by architect Lord Norman Foster. In recognition of the gift, the Norton’s new building will be named the Kenneth C. Griffin Building. The Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund also intends to give an additional $4 million to endow the directorship, bringing the Fund’s total support of the Norton to $20 million.
“It is impossible to overstate the importance of this gift to the Norton, and our sincere gratitude to Ken for making it possible,” said Hope Alswang, Executive Director and CEO of the Museum. “Not since Ralph Norton built the Museum itself has there been such a significant investment in it by a single donor. This gift is a great honor and a testament to Ken’s belief in the Museum’s vision for the future. The gift ensures the success of our campaign for the New Norton and will leave an indelible mark on the institution for many years to come.”
“The New Norton is the realization of an ambitious, transformative vision for the museum,” said Kenneth C. Griffin. “It will create a wonderful opportunity for generations of Palm Beach families, students and visitors to learn about and enjoy art.”
The Museum is in the final stages of construction and will re-open on February 9, 2019. The expansion will include 37 percent more exhibition space, enabling it to expand its schedule of special exhibitions, display more of the Museum’s collection and, for the first time, dedicate galleries to its outstanding photography collection. Education space will increase by 50 percent; new public gardens—the first to be designed by Lord Norman Foster—will feature 11 modern and contemporary sculptures; and a distinctive new entrance, incorporating a majestic, decades-old banyan tree, will be anchored by Claes Oldenburg’s monumental Pop sculpture Typewriter Eraser, Scale X (1998-1999). The grand re-opening will feature several major exhibitions including RAW: Nina Chanel Abney, Going Public: Florida Collectors Celebrate the Norton, Out of the Box: Camera-less Photography, and Modern Spontaneity: Ralph Norton’s Watercolors, among others.
Kenneth C. Griffin is the founder and CEO of Chicago-based Citadel, one of the world’s most successful and respected investment firms. A Florida native, Griffin is a passionate philanthropist who has given more than $600 million to educational and cultural causes, including the Art Institute of Chicago, MoMA, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Harvard University, The University of Chicago, and many others.
“The Board of Trustees is deeply appreciative of this gift, which will enable us to create an iconic architectural presence worthy of the Museum’s collections, and for doing so much to build civic and cultural life in Palm Beach County and beyond,” said Norton Trustee Ronnie Heyman. “Thanks to this generous gift, we look forward to an even brighter future for the Norton and the many communities it serves.”
Philanthropist and art collector Leonard Lauder, a seasonal resident of Palm Beach, said, “I love the Norton and am a great admirer and supporter of the museum—and of Ken! His leadership is exemplary and is an inspiration to me. I hope it will be an inspiration to others, as well. This is a wonderful moment for the Norton and for the Palm Beach community, and I salute Ken for making it happen.”
About The Norton Museum of Art
Founded in 1941, the Norton Museum of Art is recognized for its distinguished holdings in American, European, and Chinese art, and a continually expanding presence for photography and contemporary art. Its masterpieces of 19th century and 20th century European painting and sculpture include works by Brancusi, Gauguin, Matisse, and Picasso, and American works by Stuart Davis, Hopper, O’Keeffe, Pollock, and Sheeler.
The Norton presents special exhibitions, lectures, tours, and programs for adults and children throughout the year. In 2011, the Norton launched RAW (Recognition of Art by Women), featuring the work of a living female painter or sculptor and funded by the Leonard and Sophie Davis Fund / ML Dauray Arts Initiative. In 2012, the Norton established the biennial, international Rudin Prize for Emerging Photographers in partnership with Beth Rudin DeWoody, named in honor of her late father, Lewis Rudin.
The YWCA of Palm Beach County is seeking nominations for its 2018 Barry Krischer Humanitarian Award. Established in 2008 to honor the then-retiring State Attorney, the award recognizes a law enforcement, social services or health care professional or organizational unit that has gone beyond the normal “call of duty” or what normally would be expected of the current job responsibilities to assist or advocate for a victim of domestic violence.
As State Attorney for the 15th Judicial Circuit, Krischer made domestic violence a priority by establishing the Domestic Violence Elimination Program (DOVE) providing advocacy to battered women upon their entry into the criminal justice system; drafting and lobbying for domestic violence legislation; and helping create the Simon C. Fireman Home Safe Center for Children.
The commended service must have taken place between August 1, 2017 and July 31, 2018. Nominations should include the nominee’s name, title, place of employment with phone number, supervisor’s name with phone number, a one-page description of the activity or activities with the victim, and the name and phone number of the person(s) making the nomination.
The award will be presented at the YWCA’s Down South Luncheon at the Kravis Center on October 10, 2018, during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
The deadline for nominations is 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 19, 2018.
For more information or to request a nomination form, please contact the YWCA at 561-640-0050, Ext. 115 or 137.
South Florida residents are invited to cool off and beat the summer heat at Florida Power & Light Company’s Cooling Station at the Palm Beach Zoo’s Kids Free Labor Day Weekend Event in West Palm Beach.
Guests are invited to take a moment to “chill” out by walking into a larger-than-life ice cube that refreshes with music and a blast of liquid nitrogen, cooling guests 15-20 degrees, along with a fun video of their experience.
Has participating in a Flash Mob been on your “bucket list”? Did you always want to join in a fun Flash Mob? Here’s your chance! USA Dance, Royal Palm Chapter # 6016 is organizing a localFLASH MOB!!This is part of a NATIONWIDE FLASH MOB CONTESTsponsored by USA Dance for National Ballroom Dance Week, September 21-30, 2018!
Together, we’ll have fun dancing a Swing/Foxtrot routine to surprise and bring joy to the crowds in malls and other public places in Palm Beach and Broward Counties during National Ballroom Dance Week, September 21-30! There will be Prizes for the Best FLASH MOB Teams Nationwide!!
SIGN UP NOW!! COME TO CLASSES WITH LEE FOX to learn the fun and easy Swing/Foxtrot routine!! Classes start Friday, August 10 (6-7 PM) at Goldcoast Ballroom in Coconut Creek or Saturday, August 11 (4:30-5:30pm) at Star Ballroom in Pompano Beach. Classes may also be offered in Palm Beach County, depending on demand in that area. More information Below. Email: Info@RoyalPalmDanceSport.orgto Sign Up or for more information.
USA Dance, Inc. is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supporting amateur and professional dancing throughout the United States. The mission of USA Dance is to provide opportunities and education for ballroom and Latin dancing, both as a competitive sport known as DanceSport, and as an art and vocation, as well as a very healthful and fun form of exercise, social activity, and recreation.
For DanceSport, USA Dance is the official member organization of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the U.S. member of the world governing organization, the World DanceSport Federation (called the WDSF), which is the official global member organization of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
With more than 150 chapters throughout the United States, USA Dance is also the representative organization for all social and recreational ballroom and Latin dancers in America, ranging from pre-schoolers to seniors.
For more information, contact:
USA Dance, Royal Palm Chapter # 6016
Serving Palm Beach & Broward Counties in Florida
Board of Directors:
Officers:
Connie Barnhart Koontz – President & Competition Organizer
It’s only 40 miles north of Boston, but it feels like it’s a world away. Situated at the northern tip of Cape Ann, the seaside village of Rockport, Massachusetts offers miles of lovely beaches, boulder-strewn paths through woods and meadows, and an uncommonly magical light that has inspired painters since Winslow Homer. Painters weren’t the only ones enticed by Rockport’s charms. Ralph Waldo Emerson escaped here to his now namesake Emerson Inn by the Sea and his friend, Henry Thoreau also walked these streets. Here are just a few of the things that make Rockport one of New England’s great getaways.
Motif No. 1 – The most photographed and painted building in the USA
From the quarry to the canvas
Rockport has reinvented itself many times. First, it served as a source of timber for neighboring Gloucester. Next, the townspeople turned to fishing. In the 1830s the quarry industry had a successful run supplying granite for such notable spots as the entrance of the Holland Tunnel in New York and the fountain bowls for Washington DC’s Union Station Plaza. When the demand for granite declined, Rockport reinvented itself again, this time as an artist colony.
Attracted by its extraordinary light coupled with breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, artists have been drawn to Rockport since the mid-1800s making it one of the oldest art colonies in the country. Even if you’ve never been to Rockport, you may have seen it in photographs and paintings. Rockport is home to the iconic Motif No. 1—considered to be the most photographed and painted building in the USA due to the unique composition and lighting of its location.
Built in the 1840s just as artists were finding their way to Rockport, Motif No. 1 was an old fishing shack standing at the edge of the harbor on Bradley Wharf. A blizzard destroyed the original shack, but a replica was built and still stands waiting for photographers and painters to showcase its simple beauty. Motif No. 1 also made it into the movies in the animated film, “Finding Nemo,” where it hangs on the wall of the dentist’s office—a tribute by director Andrew Stanton to his hometown of Rockport.
A lobster lovers dream!
Something for every taste
Strolling the streets of Rockport amid the many galleries and unique shops you’re sure to work up an appetite. And if seafood is what you crave, you’re in the right town. With lobstermen setting their traps in the harbor at the center of the town, the coastal cuisine served in restaurants like Roy Moore’s Fish Shack and Roy Moore’s Lobster Company couldn’t be any fresher.
With a nod to the legacy of the hard-working quarrymen in Rockport’s past, Feather & Wedge takes its name from the simple hand tool and process used in splitting massive blocks of granite. Offering a seasonally changing menu of items sourced from the nearby land and waters, Feather & Wedge is an excellent choice for dinner and a handcrafted cocktail.
Looking for the best fried clams in town? Oddly enough then, you should pay a visit to the local hot dog shop, Top Dog. Best known for its hot dogs all named for dogs, including the Pure Bred and the Golden Retriever, Top Dog is very casual and entirely family-friendly. More importantly, it’s extremely delicious. The hot dogs get the most attention, but the fried clams have won the “best in town” award for five years.
Top Dog’s award-winning fried clams…YUM!
Settle in with Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded!” You can breathe a little easier at the historic oceanfront Emerson Inn by the Sea. In the 1850s when the inn was known as Pigeon Cove, Emerson stayed here often finding inspiration from the sea and the rocky coastline. He returned year after year bringing his family here to vacation. For a bit of literary muse, book the Emerson Room where he stayed. Although other rooms are larger and offer more amenities, the Emerson Room is a favorite of many of the poet’s fans.
Emerson Inn by the Sea
The inn overlooks the sea and the Cathedral Rocks at its edge. White wooden rockers line the porch and Adirondack chairs are scattered throughout the grounds providing a front row seat to the splendor of the skies and the sea. Alternatively, you can witness it all from the seasonally heated oceanside pool. The inn also has unrestricted access to local walking paths including the Atlantic Trail, which hugs Rockport’s rocky coastline. Halibut Point State Park is about a 20-minute walk where you can hike to the historic quarry pit. On a clear day, you can see Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine from the point.
When evening falls, the onsite Pigeon Cove Tavern provides the ideal ambiance for a romantic dinner on the covered verandah with views of the night sky.
Whatever you choose to do in Rockport, you’ll find it to be a refreshing escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Find out more at rockportusa.com.
Since 1891, the sand hills and gorse that form the backbone of what is now the Burnham & Berrow Golf Club — located in Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset, England — have stood the test of time and continue to do so. While admirers of the Erin Hills Golf Club in Wisconsin talk about how that piece of property was a natural location for a golf course, the same can be said about Burnham & Berrow. The presence of so many perfectly situated sand dunes, the wonderful views of the adjacent Parrett Estuary and Bristol Channel, the steady (and, at times, strong) winds, and tight, yet fair, lies are wonderful attributes of this links course.Credit must be given to Charles Gibson for his design skills as he was able to efficiently utilize what Mother Nature provided as he created a golf course which continues to challenge, frustrate, stymie, and, in some odd way, entertain golfers as much now as it did more than a century ago. Simply put, Burnham & Berrow – a par-71 layout that measures nearly 6,700 yards from the back tees — is a golf course that attracts avid golfers who crave a classic links golf experience. Burnham & Berrow never disappoints. Burnham & Berrow is a links course that will truly reward good shots, while also punishing you with a poor result on any indecisive attempts to advance the ball. The Burnham & Berrow Golf Club will reward a golfer who plays the course based on what it’s willing to give you on any given day, which is always influenced by the current wind conditions which can change at any given moment in time.
The 17th green at the Burnham & Berrow Golf Club, with the clubhouse in the distance. (photo credit: Geoff Ellis).
The prevailing wind at Burnham & Berrow is often out of the southwest – right off the Atlantic Ocean. The wind usually makes its presence known from the outset as the 1st hole — a bunkerless and treeless 380-yard uphill par four — is usually played into a testing breeze. On a windy day at Burnham & Berrow, bogey golf is acceptable and applauded. While Burnham & Berrow is a classic links course, you don’t truly realize the proximity of the course to the nearby Perrett Estuary, which feeds into the Bristol Channel, which feeds into the Atlantic Ocean, until you play the 4th hole. It’s a breathtaking moment as you step foot on the 4th tee, especially if you are not used to seaside golf. If there’s one hole that is the epitome of the overall Burnham & Berrow experience, it’s the 4th hole, a 514-yard, left-to-right dogleg par five. To post a par at the 4th, it takes a successful combination of the ‘P’ words: A ‘Powerful’ drive that ‘Penetrates’ the ever-‘Present’ sea breeze; a second shot that ‘Properly’ takes into account the wind and is ‘Precisely Placed’ on the fairway; a third shot that is struck so that it finds a ‘Positive Position’ on the green which then requires no more than a ‘Pair’ of ‘Putts’ for a ‘Par.’ At the 4th, the wind at Burnham & Berrow is probably at its peak so it’s absolutely necessary to play each shot as if it’s the only shot you are hitting that day. The very next hole – the 5th — is a classic, long, uphill par three which, on paper, looks rough, tough, unfair, and quite penal In reality, though, it has a forgiving nature, too. While the front, left, and right portions of the green are guarded by large sand bunkers, any shot that is left of the pin may well bounce right toward the middle of the green. And, any tee shot that is long and left has a liberal landing area which allows you to pitch and putt your way to a par.
Like so many links golf courses, the transition from the 9th green to the 10th tee takes place ‘out in the country,’ which is quite a long walk to the clubhouse. There’s no hospitality hut or snack shack at the 10th tee so come prepared with a snack and a bottle of water if you expect to get hungry and thirsty at the turn.
The view of the 2nd hole, from the back of the 2nd green at the Burnham & Berrow Golf Club.
Burnham & Berrow is a links golf destination that attracts avid golfers who crave a classic links golf experience. Burnham & Berrow never disappoints. Burnham & Berrow is a links course that will truly reward good shots, while also punishing you with a poor result on any indecisive attempts to advance the ball. The Burnham & Berrow Golf Club will reward a golfer who plays the course based on what it’s willing to give you on any given day, which is always influenced by the current wind conditions which can change at any given moment in time.
If you can avoid any of the 44 well-placed fairway and greenside bunkers at Burnham & Berrow, that is a major victory. Other obstacles and areas to avoid are the Rushes, the two grass-filled bunkers to the right of the 8th fairway; the long canal that lurks from tee to green along the right-side of the 8th fairway; the dirt track which crosses the 13th fairway and is in play if your ball finishes on the hard-pan surface; and the Kitchen, which is a rough, somewhat hilly, overgrown area about 100 yards from the putting surface of the 15th green.
Originally, when this golf club opened its doors back in the early 1890s, it was called the Burnham Golf Club. In 1896, the club’s membership wanted to expand the course to 18 holes by extending the property line to the Berrow Church. To get access to this additional property, the powers-that-be within the club had to make one major concession to the local Lords of the Manor: change the club’s name from the Burnham Golf Club to the Burnham & Berrow Golf Club. The agreement was made and the rest is history, as they say.
Burnham & Berrow is as popular an attraction now as it was ‘back in the day,’ when the great J.H. Taylor was the club’s first head pro at what is probably Somerset’s most famous golf course, which has also served as a qualifier for the Open Championship. Back in the early 1900s, Taylor – who won five Open Championships in his competitive career — was quoted as saying that Burnham & Berrow is “one of the most sporting courses conceivable.” Taylor’s comments about Burnham & Berrow would still ring true today.
In 1913, golf course architect Harry Colt was hired to upgrade and give a facelift to Burnham & Berrow. Colt utilized the natural conditions and created a golf experience that remains as relevant today as it was more than a century ago.
The church tower from the local Anglican Church overlooks the 12th green at Burnham & Berrow.
One of main reasons why Burnham & Berrow is such an attractive destination is because of the ongoing efforts by the head greenkeeper and the maintenance team at the club. The course is only in great shape because of a daily commitment to excellence by head greenkeeper Richard Whyman and his crew of dedicated workers.
“We try to do our jobs without being noticed,” admits Whyman,
The dedication to excellence displayed by Whyman and his team is not easily achieved because weather patterns – the wind, sunshine, and rain — are constantly changing at Burnham & Berrow.
“Because of the steady winds at Burnham & Berrow, one of our biggest issues is keeping the sand in the bunkers,” says Whyman.
The next big course maintenance project at Burnham & Berrow is to upgrade the quality of the teeboxes.
“We are striving to improve the firmness of the surfaces of the tees,” declares Whyman.
One of the special aspects of playing Burnham & Berrow is securing access to The Dormy House for overnight accommodations. This structure, which is a one-minute walk from the first tee, can house eight people in four twin-bedded rooms. The rooms are clean, quiet, comfortable, and spacious – each with its own private bathroom. And, there’s access to a TV lounge that serves as a common room for those staying at the Dormy House.
“It is a simple and convenient place to stay when playing this championship links course,” says Karen Drake, managing secretary at Burnham & Berrow. “By staying at The Dormy House, it gives you the chance to get fully immersed in the Burnham & Berrow experience.”
When you play at Burnham & Berrow, there’s more than just the 18-hole championship course. There’s a nine-hole Channel course, too. The Channel course is interwoven amongst the 18 holes on the Championship course. Among the holes on this par-35 layout, no par fours are any longer than 385 yards and there are two short par fours which are roughly 300 yards from tee to green. It’s a perfect way to prepare for your round on the Championship course.
It’s worth noting that in 2015, National Club Golfer ranked Burnham & Berrrow at 49 among Great Britain & Ireland’s Top 100 Links Courses. In 2017, National Club Golfer listed the 17th hole at Burnham & Berrow as one of the 100 Great British (Golf) Holes. And, Golf Monthly has ranked the Championship Course at Burnham & Berrow at #31 among its list of the Top 100 Courses in the U.K. & Ireland for 2017-18.
As you walk off the 18th green at Burnham & Berrow, there’s a sign that thanks you for visiting the course. Then, it politely says that “we look forward to seeing you again soon.” That’s exactly what Gibson and Colt would say to you if they were alive today.
