Last week, the WestCMR team had a blast participating in various golf activities at the Annika driven by Gainbridge at the Pelican, held in Belleair, FL from November 8-12.
The excitement began with the Women’s Leadership Summit, covered in our previous blog post here, where the ladies of WestCMR found inspiration that will stay with them for a lifetime.
Wednesday featured the Pro-Am golf tournament, a unique blend of professional and amateur athletes playing together. This format proved mutually rewarding, offering aspiring amateurs the motivation to succeed and providing professionals with a perspective on their journey. WestCMR’s Pro-Am team—comprising of Randy Ware, Melanie Green, and Nate Hoelscher—played alongside professionals Muni He and Jeongeun Lee6. In a shamble format, the team shot 18 under par, for a solid T-4th finish! Nate says, “It was an incredible experience and playing with the ladies taught me to have consistency and confidence while playing. I also loved getting to meet the world number one player, Nelly Korda, and the tournament host, Annika Sorenstam!” The Pro-Am, a delightful opportunity for amateurs to connect with like-minded professionals, sets an inspiring tone for future aspirations.
Following the Pro-Am, the WestCMR team set up their tent at hole 12 for the main tournament. Each day, six team members volunteered, distributing bags filled with hiring information, a kid-friendly Star Wars dice game, and Teleties (fun fact: Teleties is founded by a Belleair native!). Beyond fostering community connections, these four days of volunteering showcased the team’s collaborative spirit in a new environment, reinforcing the importance of working together to promote our mission.
The Annika Golf Tournament left a lasting impression, and we eagerly anticipate attending again next year, continuing to share the WestCMR charm throughout our community. A heartfelt thank you to the Pelican for hosting us and for all you do for Belleair!
