The complex will have an 18-hole course, a 9-hole short course and a practice facility.
The Sarasota-owned Bobby Jones Golf Club will host a grand reopening celebration on Dec. 15 from 9 a.m. to noon with the first tee times starting the next day.
Online reservations can be made starting Dec. 2 by visiting bobbyjonesgolfclub.com, according to the city news release.
City residents will now also receive a 40% discount to golf at the 18-hole Donald Ross-designed course instead of a 10% discount discussed by the City Commission when officials set the facilities prices in October.
Following the October fee schedule presentation by Indigo Sports LLC, the private company that will manage the facilities at Bobby Jones, city staff “asked Indigo to review the fee schedule for a deeper discount for residents.”
“We’re pleased to share that city of Sarasota residents will receive a 40% discount on the Donald Ross Course,” Jan Thornburg, the city’s communications general manager, said.
That fee schedule will implement dynamic pricing at Bobby Jones.
An updated fee schedule that set prices at the soon to open to the public Bobby Jones Golf Course. The facility will open to the public on Dec. 16.
Adult members of the public who are not city residents will pay a minimum of $69 and a maximum of $119 to golf and use a golf cart on the 18-hole course when it opens.
Golfers can also golf after 2 p.m. for steep discounts, according to the fee schedule. Walking the course instead of using a golf course will also see a significant reduction in the cost for a round of golf at Bobby Jones Golf Club.
The prices will increase on Dec. 22 through March 31, with the least expensive round of golf coming in at $84 and the most expensive costing $124 for an adult non-city resident who uses a golf cart on the facility.
The least expensive round of golf for a city resident will cost $37, if that resident has a tee time after 2 p.m. and they walk the course instead of drive.
City residents will receive a discount of 40% off the lowest rate offered at the time they purchase their round of golf.
The city of Sarasota reduced the number of holes in the golf complex from 45 to 27 and turned some of the property into a nature park. The complex will have an 18-hole course, a 9-hole short course and a practice facility.
The construction work began in February 2022, led by Richard Mandell, the project’s architect.
The eyes of the golfing world are focused on the 123rd US Open Championship this week, as they were 100 years ago at the 27th edition of the event at Inwood, New York, when Bobby Cruickshank missed out on adding his name to the list of previous Scottish winners in heartbreaking circumstances.
Having defied the odds to tie with the great Bobby Jones after 72 holes, the man originally from Grantown-on-Spey (which sits about three hours north of Edinburgh) and affectionately known as the “Wee Scot” lost out when a miscued drive on the last hole of the play-off opened the door for Jones to clinch his first major.
Given the event’s history, it is hard to believe no Scot will feature this week. Things were very different in its early days when they dominated – between 1901 and 1910 a Scot claimed the title each year with one exception – but in 1923 Lady Fortune was not smiling on Bobby. Nor in 1932, when again he finished runner-up to another legendary figure, Gene Sarazen. Altogether Cruickshank managed five top-four finishes, an impressive record, but unfortunately never won.
Like many aspiring Scottish golfers then, Cruickshank went to the States in 1921 in search of fame and fortune, with high hopes but uncertain expectations. Within a year he had made his mark, winning three tournaments and reaching the semifinal of the PGA Championship, losing to Sarazen in the then-match-play event.
In 1923, American hopes for the Open were pinned firmly on the charismatic young amateur Bobby Jones, who in the preceding years had finished fifth and second. With three holes remaining at Inwood, Jones enjoyed a comfortable lead over Cruickshank but finished badly with two bogeys and a double bogey, commenting as he left the 18th green, “I finished like a yellow dog.”
Meanwhile, the Wee Scot was having his own problems as a double bogey at the 16th required a par and birdie finish to tie Jones. After parring the 17th, he needed a birdie on the 425-yard 18th, a tall order. The buzz was Jones had it in the bag. Officials were so confident they asked him to prepare for the trophy ceremony, but wisely he declined, saying he would wait until the final putt was sunk.
Bobby Cruickshank putting during the Masters at Augusta, Georgia, while his daughter, Elsie looks on. “Wee Scot,” as he was known, had his best chance to win a major slip away to Bobby Jones at the 1923 U.S. Open.
A good drive by Cruickshank landed down the middle of the fairway some 180 yards short of the green, with pressure now ratching up. Unfazed, he struck a magnificent shot with his mid-iron, as it was then called, to the heart of the green where it rolled to a stop six feet from the pin. A pressure putt to end all pressure putts was then calmly made to the roar of an appreciative crowd. Later Jones magnanimously described it as “one of the greatest holes ever played in golf.”
On the next day’s 18-hole play-off in front of 8,000 fans rooting for Jones, the pair reached the final tee all square in a nip and tuck contest. A hooked drive put Cruickshank in difficulty as Jones’ tee shot edged into the rough. Boldly, the American went for the green, hitting a superb iron close to the pin while the Scot could only bunker his approach shot, leaving the outcome a formality.
Afterward, Cruickshank graciously stated, “Bobby Jones is the greatest of them all. Man, it was a bonny shot! I’m proud to have stepped so close to him.”
The Wee Scot went on to enjoy widespread tournament success Stateside including being the leading money winner in 1927 and again coming close to Open glory in 1932 when final rounds of 68 and 69 on the same day were not quite enough to beat Sarazen, who famously completed the last 28 holes in 100 strokes to edge it. Other top-four finishes followed as well as a fourth place in the 1936 Masters, the highest achieved by a Scot until Sandy Lyle’s 1988 win.
Such success would have seemed fantasy to young Cruickshanks growing up in humble circumstances in Grantown where he was nicknamed “Boback” and began involvement in golf as a summertime caddy for prosperous visitors with brother John. One such visitor was widow Isabella Usher from Edinburgh who became very fond of the brothers and adopted them to live with her at Murrayfield in the capital where she provided for their education at Daniel Stewart’s College, now Stewart’s Melville. There Bobby excelled at athletics, setting numerous records and winning Scottish Schoolboy titles at 100 yards, long jump and throwing the cricket ball.
He also represented the school at golf and set a junior record of 76 aged 16 over the Braid Hills course where he played long hours with Tommy Armour, the future triple major winner. War interrupted their golfing ambitions as Cruickshank saw service at The Somme and Passchendaele.
Brother John, alongside him in a trench at Ypres, was killed outright by a shell. Bobby ended up in a POW camp alongside Sandy Armour, Tommy’s older brother, also an excellent golfer, whose health he helped to restore.
Incredibly, in 1919 at the Scottish Athletics Championships at Celtic Park, Bobby won a bronze medal in the long jump while also excelling on the golf course as a member at Turnhouse, winning the Edinburgh Coronation Cup twice and reaching the semifinal of the French Amateur.
Encouraged by Armour and Willie Park Jr., he went to America where, as they say, the rest is history.
A hugely popular figure, his ultimate accolade was induction into the PGA Hall of Fame in 1967. Major titles may have eluded him, but his place in golf history remains secure.
Philadelphia 76ers legends Julius Erving and Bobby Jones weigh in on the current team’s chances at a title.
CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers have as good a chance as any team to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy at the end of the 2022-23 season. They are led by stars Joel Embiid and James Harden, and the duo gives the Sixers a very good chance at ending the 40-year title drought.
The last time the Sixers won a title was in 1983 when they were led by Julius Erving and Moses Malone. The Sixers swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the finals that season with Malone taking home final MVP honors after his famous “fo, fo, fo” proclamation. It predicted the Sixers would sweep all of their playoff opponents on their way to a title.
Erving and Bobby Jones, a key bench piece on that team, assess where this current team stands and its chances to end the drought.
Philadelphia 76ers legends Julius Erving and Bobby Jones are left feeling impressed with big man Joel Embiid.
CAMDEN, N.J.–The Philadelphia 76ers are having a ton of success in the 2022-23 season thanks to the terrific play of superstar big man Joel Embiid. The big fella is once again having a phenomenal season as he’s leading the league in scoring at 33.5 points and shooting an efficient 54.6% from the floor.
After scoring 31 points in Saturday’s win over the Indiana Pacers, Embiid has now scored at least 30+ points in nine straight games which is a new franchise record. It breaks the tie he was in with Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain for the franchise lead.
Julius Erving and Bobby Jones, two key pieces in Sixers history as members of the franchise’s last championship team in 1983, were at the team’s shootaround on Monday morning and they were asked about what Embiid is doing. Both Sixers legends were impressed with what they are seeing.
Philadelphia 76ers champion Bobby Jones explains the importance of having PJ Tucker on the floor.
CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers made their big move early in free agency when they brought in PJ Tucker on a 3-year $33 million deal. The Sixers made the move hoping Tucker can bring in the necessary toughness and intangibles needed to help the team win.
In his first season with the Sixers, Tucker’s numbers aren’t extraordinary. He’s averaging 3.4 points and 4 rebounds in 25.8 minutes per game, but he has been important to Philadelphia’s success. He does all of the dirty work and he creates extra possessions for the Sixers to get more looks at the basket.
On Monday, the Sixers welcomed the 1983 championship team into the building at shootaround. Bobby Jones, who was the sixth man of that team and did the dirty work for that group, detailed how important Tucker is to this current team.
“Two things, one, the toughness that he brings, and then two, the attitude that he has of what, what can I do to help the team win?” Jones explained. “It’s like when I watch him play, if he has an open shot, he’s gonna take it, but if he doesn’t, he moves the ball quicker than anybody else on the team. He gets it out of his hands, and just shuffles it up to somebody else.”
Tucker has done so many things that don’t show up in a box score. For example, he boxes multiple guys out to help his teammates grab a rebound rather than the opposition. That shows up in key moments.
“Then he’s also waiting, as the shot goes up to knock three guys sideways, and he does!” Jones added. “He’s got quick hands. He’s got strong hands, and he kicks it out and gets it to somebody else. So when you have a player like that who knows his role and fulfills his role, it inspires other people to say, ‘Hey, we’ll he’s doing that. Why won’t I do that?'”
Jones sees what Tucker does as something of a motivating factor. An opportunity for others to step up and do the little things in order to get the job done out on the floor.
“It kind of motivates other people to do the same kind of thing,” Jones finished. “To figure out what their role is, but also to do more. To be tougher.”
Tucker is dealing with ankle soreness and wasn’t able to participate in the shootaround Monday morning. There is a chance he doesn’t play against the Chicago Bulls. However, it’s obvious how important he is to this team’s success.
Here are all 33 players who have worn the No. 11 in the history of the Philadelphia 76ers.
It’s summertime in the NBA, so it’s time to learn some history. The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the older franchises in the NBA. Their history dates to the 1949-50 season.
With that longevity, the team has had hundreds of players come through the City of Brotherly Love. Sixers Wire looks at the No. 11, which has been worn by 33 of those players in the history of the franchise.
Here are the top 10 players in the long history of the Philadelphia 76ers in blocked shots.
To be an effective shot blocker, one must have an understanding of timing and sense for when a player is going up for a shot. Defenders also must be disciplined and not fall for pump fakes an offensive player will throw in to free themselves for an effortless look.
The Philadelphia 76ers have had some really good rim protectors in their history. Some are recognized among the top defenders in the history of the game.
With it being the dead time of the NBA offseason, now is the time to look back and recognize the top players in the history of the Sixers. In this edition, Sixers Wire looks at the top 10 shot blockers in the long history of the franchise. One of the players on this list is still active and has a chance to go higher on the list with longevity:
Fitzpatrick has a chance to make some unique USGA history on Sunday.
Matt Fitzpatrick has a chance to make some unique golf history on Sunday.
Not only does the 27-year-old Englishman have a chance to become just the 12th player to win both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open, but he’d be the first to do so at the same course. Fitzpatrick won the 2013 U.S. Amateur at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, and enters Sunday’s final round tied for first at 4 under with Will Zalatoris.
The last to accomplish the impressive feat? That’d be Bryson DeChambeau, who claimed the 2015 U.S. Amateur and the 2020 U.S. Open. Get to know the 12 players who have won both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open.
