The Leona Curtis Memorial Tournament 2024 – Day 1

(Read more about our friend Leona Curtis below)

Player Information

We are very much looking forward to another exciting weekend of junior tournament golf with you all at not one, but two, great Championship golf venues in The Villages. The first of these has quickly become a firm favorite of players on our schedule, Southern Oaks GC is our Day 1 (Saturday) venue and it was opened in 2021. It’s become a regular venue on our schedule each year since then.  On Sunday we will make our tour debut at Shallow Creek GC, the newest addition to the championship venues in The Villages and the venue used to host all of The Villages High School golf matches. We feel sure if you haven’t played one or both of these already that you will enjoy playing them as much as we do! Venue info for Southern Oaks click HERE

We will commence play on both Saturday and on Sunday at 11.56 am and all play will begin from Tee number 1. Below this message you will find Day 1 (Southern Oaks GC) individual tee times, pairings, yardages and flight information. We would request that you also read carefully the following important information relating to this twin venue tournament.

On arrival at Southern Oaks GC please check in with Fiona at our Golfer Registration Desk. We will confirm your tee time and check that the contact info we have for you is correct. It is extremely important that we have your correct contact number in case it becomes necessary to contact you on the golf course during this competition. At registration we will also issue each player with a rules sheet for this tournament. Venue directions and contact information for Southern Oaks GC can be found by clicking HERE

Golf carts can be rented for use by players at this venue and cost is $25. Please note that to rent and drive a rental cart at this venue you MUST be 16 or over with a license (you may be asked to produce your license) Younger players can be driven by a parent. If any player prefers to walk, with your own provided trolley or carry bag instead of using a cart, you can choose to do so. Spectator carts will be available on a first come basis and only offered once players who request them have been issued with a cart. Spectator cart rental is $32.

Southern Oaks GC have “warm up facilities” only for use prior to play. These include putting and chipping areas and driving nets. There is no full-size golf range at this venue. If you require the use of a driving range the closest facility is the Sarasota Practice facility. A list of all local driving ranges is contained in the link HERE

• Sarasota Golf Practice Center – (352) 259-2077
  • 133 Moyer Loop, The Villages, 32163

Please note this driving range is approximately 10/15 minutes’ drive to Southern Oaks. If you are planning on visiting this facility please leave enough time to make your way to Southern Oaks GC.

Please note caddies are only permitted for players aged 15 and under at all of our tournament events. Caddies MUST comply with USGA caddie rules and pace of play MUST be observed at all times. Collectively it is YOUR and your group’s responsibility to ensure the group does not fall behind. If you do we will advise and request you make all efforts to catch up. To do so you must begin to play “Ready Golf” in order to keep pace with the group in front. If after doing so you are still behind play we will give you a target time to complete the following two holes. If target time not achieved, we will issue penalty strokes to each member of your group.

Electronic devices to assist with yardages are acceptable for use at this competition.

IMPORTANT: It is a condition of this tournament that ALL official player scoring will only be accepted when input into our dedicated CJGT online scoring app, which should be downloaded in advance from your online app store by searching for CJGT. If any player fails to register and arrives at the venue without the app you will be unable to score. If you are unable to score in the app your score cannot be counted for this tournament. Reach out to us in advance, and not on day of tournament, if you are having any difficulties downloading or registering in the app. Do NOT leave it until arrival at the venue.

An example image of the app is shown below, if using this app for the first time you will be asked to register (please do so AS A JUNIOR GOLFER and not as a parent/spectator) using player name and player’s email address. Registration and use of the app for players is always FREE. Parents/Spectators who wish to follow play and view online scoring can download the app and register as a parent/spectator. Cost to do so is $8 per tournament or $30 for the season. Please note when registering as a parent/spectator you MUST do so using a different email address to that of your registered player.

When you have registered you can then search for the event by date. You will find that the player tee times as shown below have been pre- loaded into the app already.

IMPORTANT: Weather Watch Texts/ Notifications. At check in we will always confirm we have the correct on course contact number for you. The weather at this time is unpredictable, and player and spectator safety is our number one priority. Should it be necessary to stop play at any stage we will notify you by text AND blast one long warning note by airhorn. Please mark your ball position and take immediate shelter. We will monitor the weather and text further instructions as soon as we can. For your information our policy regarding lightning strikes close to our location is an immediate withdrawal from play when sustained lightning is within 5 miles of our location. This weekend weather is expected to be VERY warm (mid 90’s expected) so please be prepared for it with additional water, energy drinks and snacks. We will have some bottled water available, for players only, on the first tee.

Please make your way to the 1st tee at least 10 minutes before play where we will provide a short briefing to players on any local rules that may apply to this competition. 

As usual on Saturday, and again on Sunday, we will be adding a touch of additional excitement by operating a nearest-the-pin competition for all players. On this occasion our nearest the pin will be sponsored by our good friends at Junior Indoor Golf League who will provide the prizes for our winners. We will advise which par-3 hole this applies to prior to play on each day. Recording a measurement for this contest will be done by adding your name to the provided sheet by the green being used for the competition. 

Following play on Saturday we will require each player to confirm and agree the scores loaded into CJGT app are correct before you depart for home. On Saturday evening we will email you player tee times and full information for the final round of play on Sunday. Please note on Sunday at Shallow Creek GC we will again begin play at 11.56 am from tee 1.

On Sunday afternoon, following the final round of play, we will verify and record scores and conduct brief medal presentation awards. We always plan to conduct these presentations as quickly as we can to ensure you are not waiting around too much but we, and our players, do always appreciate your sportsmanship and support by attending if you possibly can. Please note that in addition to flight winner medal and prize awards, for each lowest scoring player flight winner, we will also be awarding *FJT (Florida Junior Tour) STEP Exemption Awards to our lowest scoring Male and Female player AND our special trophy award, The Leona Curtis Award, will be presented to the junior player who records the lowest overall tournament score.

Please note *FJT STEP Awards are only applicable to players aged 13 and above and to receive these additional awards ALL players must be flight winner at this tournament, a current Claret Tour Annual Membership Player, prior to the tournament beginning, and your player score achieved must be no higher than an average of +8 or less for each 18 holes played. Eg. A total score of +16 or less after 36 holes are complete.

This tournament will be ranked by Junior Golf Scoreboard, Junior Golf Hub and iWanamaker Rankings. Information and full T&C’s relating to rankings can be found by clicking HERE and scrolling to the section on Rankings.

If you have any questions and need to contact us urgently, please don’t hesitate to email info@claretjuniortour.com or call or text prior to play on 716-436-8691 (Keith)

Player Tee Times, Yardages and Flight Information Below:

The Leona Curtis Memorial Tournament 2024

Leona Curtis – Our Friend.

When Fiona and I arrived from Scotland, to begin our new life in Florida in 2018, we met so many fine people across so many different walks of life! Some became passing acquaintances, and some became friends. In the case of Leona we may not have had the benefit of knowing her for a lifetime like some but, regardless of the time we had from first meeting to her recent passing in 2023, Leona Curtis was our friend and each year we play this junior tournament in her memory.

We met Leona through Greg (aka Coach Grumpy), her loving husband and advocate and supporter of junior golf, particularly here in The Villages where he worked hard over many years to introduce so many of our current local juniors to our sport. Leona, like Greg, was a great supporter of junior golf in our community and it was always an absolute joy to have her with us at so many of the local tournament venues we played. Even when illness began to restrict her energy levels and her health was diminishing, we still recall Leona’s determination and extraordinary spirit as she made the huge effort to come along and support us, and our junior golfers as they played, especially our young lady golfers!

We feel we were indeed blessed to know such a kind, happy and courageous lady! We take great comfort in the many happy memories we personally have of times with Leona and knowing that, while she left way too soon, she is no longer suffering any pain or discomfort. We believe she forever rests peacefully, and in a better place.

At the beginning of 2023 Greg and Leona asked if they could help to support both our tour, and a developing young player, by providing a player scholarship award to a deserving young lady golfer who is just beginning her own journey in the game they both love. The young golfer chosen to receive their support, that allows her to play tournament golf free all year long, is Clermont based Maren Richards (13) pictured below with Greg. This was an exceptionally kind gesture and one that Maren and her family, are extremely blessed and grateful for! Our only wish was that Leona had had a little more time in good health to see more of Maren play but we do feel she is still watching from the golf course in the sky as this talented and happy young lady golfer makes her mark in golf with Leona and Greg’s help! We think Leona will always be smiling upon her!

Thank you, Leona,

Yours in Golf,

Keith and Fiona, xxx

“The Golf Course in the Sky”

As 18 flags flew at half-mast and

glasses were soberly raised high,

the latest member was having a ball

at the golf course in the sky…