Women’s Golf Blog: No More Fruit Trees

Our first tournament of the spring 2022 season took us to an old stomping ground of mine, Innisbrook Resort in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Innisbrook is where I first “cut my teeth” in the golf business. Florida is one of those places you hear people move to when they retire. It can also be a draw to those of us that enjoy outdoor sports, like golf, and want to pursue our career in what we love. That was what drew me to Innisbrook, one of the premier resorts at that time and destinations for the rich and famous. I worked in the golf shop where it wasn’t unusual to bump into some famous people, like the time I sold swimming trunks to Jack Klugman, more recognized as the character Oscar in the infamous show The Odd Couple. Or the time I sold a pair of golf shoes to Tom Landry, head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. He left his playbook in the shop, I had to promptly call his room to let him know to come claim it before I sold it to the Steelers! I had to spend most of my time checking in golfers, folding shirts, taking inventory and learning the steps of stocking and ordering merchandise. I quickly learned that I would much rather be out on the lesson tee running clinics for all the guests. So, when I had the opportunity to head back to Penn State, my alma mater, and be an assistant coach, it was a change I enthusiastically welcomed.

Prior to leaving for the Big Ten Match Play that would take place at the Innisbrook Island Course, we always review what we know about the layout or any details important to share about our “opponent”, the golf course.  Unfortunately, I played most of my rounds while I was working there on the Sandpiper or the Copperhead, two of the three courses Innisbrook offered. Most of what I remembered about the Island Course were the ubiquitous fruit trees where we would steal the oranges and grapefruits. When we arrived for our practice round there were some familiar sites, like the condominiums built in the 70’s which now seemed rather “dated” and the beautiful grounds and sites of the famous PGA tour stop course the Copperhead, however the Island Course appeared very different. Where fruit trees once lined the fairways there were now private homes. A sign of how time changes things, it is inevitable.

We as a team were experiencing our own “changes”.  For three and a half years we were used to traveling with…