Reconnecting Through Golf
After graduating from Abilene Christian and working in the technology sector for several years, Anthony entered Owen’s MBA program. While the academic demands limited his tee times, he managed to work in a few rounds on the best public courses in the area—in addition to the very occasional round at Belle Meade when he could finagle an invitation.
He loved his time in Nashville and enjoyed the energy of Memorial Magic during one of the more successful stretches of Vanderbilt men’s and women’s basketball prior to the present renaissance. Some of his classmates remain close friends even now. But as the years went by and work and family claimed his focus and he and April became more and more actively involved with their undergraduate alma mater, he lost touch with Vanderbilt.
That changed when he called Limbaugh to offer their house during the Cabo Collegiate. Perhaps golf was always going to be the vehicle to reconnect. Mark’s second date with April was a golf date. Most of their vacations still revolve around or at least involve golf. He even helped start the smaller-scale predecessor of the Cabo Collegiate. And when the Commodores arrived for the first time, not as entitled spring breakers but uniformly polite and impressively respectful of their surroundings, he found a kindred spirit in Limbaugh.
“For April and myself, golf has always been one of our passions, and it’s been an avenue to reach out to a lot of young men and help put them on a course for success in life,” Anthony said. “What Scott has going at Vanderbilt is the epitome of what’s possible. You look at the kids who have come through the program and where they are, whether they’re playing golf or not, and these young men are going to be leaders.”
After the initial seed investment by former Vanderbilt student-athletes and Hall of Fame inductees Toby Wilt, BE’66, Brandt Snedeker, BA’03, and Lew Conner, BA’60, JD’63, along with their wives, Lucianne Wilt, Mandy Snedeker, BA’02, and Ashley Conner, BA’60, the Anthonys didn’t hesitate to take the baton and lead the way in supporting Vandy United’s vision for the team facilities at Vanderbilt Legends Club. It’s what you do for family.
“For both the men’s and women’s teams, when they walk in, they feel like it’s their home,” Anthony said. “They feel like it’s their place. They’re proud of it. They can go hang out, tell stories, study, work on their golf game,…
..