2019 ‘Celebration of Golf’ banquet set for Feb. 19 at San Jose Country Club

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The Jacksonville Area Golf Association (JAGA) and the Northern Chapter of the North Florida PGA recently announced that the seventh annual “Celebration of Golf” banquet will be held at San Jose Country Club on Tuesday evening, Feb. 19.

The featured honoree will be Anne Nimnicht, who will become the fifth recipient of the Deane Beman Award for a lifetime of contributions to professional and other community-benefitting golf activities in the greater Jacksonville area. The award was named for the former PGA Tour commissioner who brought the PGA Tour to Ponte Vedra Beach. 

The evening’s guest speaker will be former PGA Tour winner, JAGA junior champion, Nease High School graduate and longtime First Coast resident Len Mattiace, who currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions.

The evening will start at 5:45 p.m. with an exhibition on San Jose’s first tee by 2019 World Golf Hall of Fame electee Dennis Walters. Paralyzed from the waist down as a result of a golf cart mishap in 1974, Walters has gone on to perform thousands of inspirational golf clinics using an improvised golf cart and become a tireless promoter of the game. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m.

Tables for 10 are $650 and available at www.jaxareagolf.org. Individual tickets may be purchased for $65.

The banquet is co-sponsored by JAGA and the Northern Chapter, with the support of the Jacksonville Women’s Golf Association and the North Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association. The event annually brings together people from all facets of the golf community — players, leaders, promoters, supporters, clubs, volunteers, pros, amateurs, superintendents and organizations — to recognize and honor those who have made contributions to area golf both on the golf course and off.  

JAGA director Michael McKenny from Timuquana Country Club is chairing the event and working closely with San Jose Country Club’s General Manager Rocky Staples and Head Pro Todd Bork to organize the evening.

In addition to the Deane Beman Award, individuals from the following organizations will be recognized:

Jacksonville Women’s Golf Association

Jacksonville Area Golf Association

Northern Chapter of the North Florida PGA

The banquet will be held at San Jose Country Club for the first time. The first five dinners were hosted by Timuquana Country Club before the event moved to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2018. The last four have been sellouts.