Red Velvet Brownies –
Tahnee and Chris Kirk

Brownies:
1 4-ounce bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups all-purpose flower
1 1-ounce bottle red liquid food coloring
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan Stirring at 30-second intervals, microwave chocolate and butter in a large bowl until melted and smooth. When melted, whisk in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure to blend after each addition. Gently stir in flour, food coloring, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Pour mixture into greased pan and bake for 44-48 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. While the brownies are baking, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar and salt. When blended stir in vanilla. When brownies are completely cool, frost with cream cheese frosting.

For this month’s Volunteer Spotlight we sat down to talk with Larry Kemper from Macon, Georgia. Larry has volunteered on both the Marshal and Supply Distribution Committees. He has also been a great help in recruiting friends and family to participate with him each year! Enjoy our conversation:

Tournament Staff: How did you get started with The McGladrey Classic?

Larry Kemper: I saw advertisements for the first McGladrey Classic and noticed that the time had come and gone for registering. I thought; why not just give them a call to see if they could use me anyways. Well it was meant to be because that same day Courtney told me 5 or 6 marshals had to drop out so it was just perfect timing!

Tournament Staff: What is your favorite part of volunteering at The McGladrey Classic and do any particular moments stand out?

Larry Kemper: I really enjoy being able to Marshal during the Wednesday Pro-Am. It seems as though the players really are more relaxed that day and it is fun to watch them interact with the amateurs in their groups. I remember last year on the 14^th hole, Boo Weekly left a written message on the tee for Blake Adams in the group behind him. He asked if he knew the yardage to a tower out in the ocean. So the group makes their guesses and Blake steps up to hit, after the ball not getting there they all estimated around 425 yards and when they flipped the paper over they were right! It was just nice to see that these guys can have a good time while they are out there on the course.

Tournament Staff: Do you enjoy playing golf? 

Larry Kemper: Yes I love to play golf. My friends and I that volunteer together each year look forward to coming to Sea Island. The golf voucher that is given out to volunteers is a huge perk to being here!

Tournament Staff: What hobbies do you enjoy off of the course? 

Larry Kemper: In the past I was an avid runner, these days I am a walker. I love being active.

Tournament Staff: Tell us one thing that your fellow volunteers may not know about you.

Larry Kemper: I served as a Marine Core Captain. That is an accomplishment that I will always be proud of.

Thank you so much for taking the time out to talk to us, we look forward to seeing you again this year! 

Two of the most common errors which cause poor chipping are an improper set-up, and an over-active right hand (or left hand for our lefties). A great drill to do to help with these issues is to practice some chips using your lead arm. Left arm only for right-handed players, right arm only for the lefties.

Find a spot around the chipping green where the fairway is low cut. Using your lead arm only, hit some chips – very short ones to start off with. Make sure to choke down slightly on the club and put more weight on your front foot than your back – about 70% front and 30% back. This “forward lean” will encourage your club to swing in a descending motion popping the ball up in the air. Once you can hit the majority of your short chip shots solidly with your lead arm only, softly lay your other hand into position on the club but keep the grip pressure very light in that hand. The lead arm is the controlling arm in the stroke and the light grip pressure in the opposite hand will discourage its over-use.

So remember:

• Lean forward
• Choke down
• Hit short chips with your lead arm only
• Add your other hand after some practice – but keep the pressure light

I promise your chipping will improve (and maybe your full shots as well)!!!

“During the past 12 months we have gained a more complete understanding of the modifications to the PGA TOUR schedule and have made appropriate changes to our qualifications to adhere to our founders’ philosophy,” said Payne. “As many of you know I have been personally fully commitment to players gaining entry to the tournament after winning a PGA TOUR event. All of us take great pride and pleasure in seeing a tournament winner beam with pride and excitement knowing that his victory has earned him an invitation to the Masters.”

“Every pro wants to be invited to play in the Masters,” said Davis Love III, 20-time PGA TOUR winner and McGladrey Classic host. “We thank Mr. Payne and the Masters’ team for providing our McGladrey Classic champion with the opportunity to play for the green jacket.

Our player field has been strong since the tournament was launched in 2010. Each year we have drawn many of the world’s best players including winners of the four majors, PLAYERS and the TOUR Championship,” said Love. “Players and their families enjoy coming to Georgia’s Golden Isles for The McGladrey Classic. The opportunity to receive an invitation to the Masters Tournament is an added incentive for pros to come here in the fall.”

This is the second major announcement enhancing the potential strength of The McGladrey Classic player field. Late last year the PGA TOUR decided to eliminate the fall series and position The McGladrey Classic and other former fall series events as the first tournaments of the 2013-2014 season. This change qualifies players for FedExCup points.

Rusmans: We live in Guernsey, which is one of the Channel Islands situated in the Bay of St Malo – just out of the English Channel – so almost in the Atlantic Ocean! We are not from there originally, but moved to Guernsey in 1966, when we got married – Willem is from Holland and Gudrun is German. One of our two daughters  – the eldest – also lives in Guernsey with her husband and three children, the younger one lives in London with her family (one little boy of ten months) and this year we came to the States earlier than usual, because our older daughter wanted to see where her parents disappear to every year and combined this with a trip to Orlando, where the kids are enjoying Disneyworld for a week before coming to Ponte Vedra, where we are volunteering again (year 8 now) for The Players!

We are both retired – Willem had an Horticultural Business and Gudrun worked for Northern Trust in Guernsey (Guernsey being an financial offshore centre as well as a visitor attraction and also well know for growing tomatoes and flowers). We have always liked to travel to the United States and now – with more free time – we are able to do this even more. Back home we are fairly busy as well – helping out with the grandchildren (when we are there!!) – occasionally helping out with the youngest one in London as well,  looking after our very large garden  and – of course – enjoying golf. Guernsey has two 18 hole golf courses and one 9 hole course, which for the size of the island – is not bad! Normally one would be able to play all year, but this winter the weather was just too bad – we even had snow, which is unusual for Guernsey! In the summer Gudrun also does a bit of guiding, when Cruise ships come in (mainly for German visitors – but also for the Carnival Cruise lines – so – all in all – we are quite busy!!

Tournament Staff: How did you get started volunteering at The McGladrey Classic?

Rusmans: In 2010 we were asked by email – via The Players – to help out at the McGladrey, but at that time we were just on our way back to Atlanta and then on to London – so this was not possible, but when we returned for the 2011 Tour Championship, where we volunteer also, we thought we could offer to volunteer at the McGladrey, we really enjoyed the experience  – came back last year – and will sign up for this year as well!

Tournament Staff: You two travel quite a ways to volunteer your time each year, what is it about The McGladrey Classic that makes you want to keep coming back?

Rusmans: We have always enjoyed coming to the Southern States of the US – and now, with more time – we combine volunteering with vacationing. We also like the concept of volunteering – with the charity aspect, which makes it so worthwhile to give your time for such a great cause.

 Before helping out at the McGladrey we have never been to St Simons Island, although we were very close -  we spend time in Savannah – Hilton Head Island and North Carolina as well – and we really enjoyed to help out at the McGladrey – everybody is so friendly, the island is beautiful and it is such a special atmosphere, which makes this experience so unique. The people are easy to talk to and the Tournament is really well organized, which makes the volunteer experience even better!

 Tournament Staff: Many new volunteers this year will sign up to be a Marshal, as a veteran of not only our tournament but other PGA Tour events, what is one piece of advice for a new Marshal?

Rusmans: Enjoy the experience of being part of the Volunteer team and also being able to watch famous golfers from close, interacting with the gallery – and – above all – have fun!!

 But do not forget to do your job properly, refer to the Volunteer Guide Book and – if you are new – try to attend the training sessions, which are offered!

Tournament Staff: Obviously we all know you enjoy golf, what are some things you enjoy doing off the course?

Rusmans: As mentioned before – being retired now gives us a lot of time to travel, which is one of our pleasures. Being both from different countries we also see family in both Holland and Germany, but since Guernsey is very close to France we have also been able to see a lot of that country. One of our Son’s in Law is from the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean and we were able to spend a lot of time to explore that beautiful tropical  island – but we also enjoy cross-country skiing  and have been flying to Norway for a couple of weeks  in the winter for the past ten years.

 Gudrun’s hobby is to make all the travel arrangements herself, she creates the itinerary (changes it lots of times!!) taking photos and writing travel reports/diaries every day, while away from home, to let the children know what their parents are up to and – at the same time – involving the grandchildren as well and – at the end of the day – have our personal travel diary!

 Willem tries to play golf a lot, he loves gardening – (you call it yard work??) and we both enjoy reading and listening to classical music, and – of course – being with our families!!

Tournament Staff: What is your most favorite thing about spending time in the Golden Isles?

Rusmans: We love the area, the beautiful landscape, the live oak trees and the beaches – we always make sure that we see more than just the golf courses, although they are absolutely brilliant and that makes a round of golf even more enjoyable – to take in the scenery!

The people are so friendly – going out of their way to be helpful – we are very fortunate to be able to experience this Southern Hospitality – and the wonderful area.

Tournament Staff: Tell us one thing about the two of you that we may not know?

Rusmans: We have been married for 47 years in November and will be spending our Anniversary in the Golden Isles!!

Charities participating in the Birdies Fore Love program invite supporters to guess the number of birdies that will be made during the tournament and make a flat donation or a pledge per birdie.  In its first year, the program generated $16,000 for local charities.  One hundred percent of funds raised in this program are given to the participating charities.

Based on the program’s initial success, the Davis Love Foundation is inviting all interested children and family charities to participate in the program.  An introductory meeting will be held on Monday, April 29 at 8:30am at the tournament headquarters located at Sea Island Golf Club.  Charities can contact Courtney Stiles, Tournament Manager, to register or request additional information.

“This is an exciting program and a great way to raise additional dollars for charities,” said Stiles.  “We envision involving even more charities than in our inaugural year of the program and anticipate raising more dollars to help those nonprofits serving children and families.”

The deadline for charities to apply for program participation is Friday, May 10, and the program will launch on Monday, June 3.

Download 2013 Birdies Fore Love Application

In my experience the average golfer makes three common mistakes when playing in the wind:

1)    They rarely take enough club
2)    They underestimate the strength of crosswinds and therefore do not aim appropriately
3)    They try to “overpower” the wind rather than “work with” the wind

Understanding number 3 is critical to addressing numbers 1 and 2 and is the place to start in learning to deal with windy conditions. Contrary to what common sense would tell us, we actually need to swing slower when playing in strong winds. Our mind tells us that we need to swing faster or harder to keep the ball under control, however, swinging faster or harder creates more “spin” on the ball and in the wind spin is a killer. Here are some keys to help with hitting better golf shots in the wind.

• When playing into the wind, first gauge the wind in terms of how many “clubs” the wind is hurting, i.e., one club wind, two club wind, etc. Once you have determined this make a conscious effort to take ONE MORE club than you determined and swing at a nice easy pace. The nice easy pace will create less spin allowing the ball to cut through the wind easier and stay more on line. Most golfers take too little club in most circumstances and this is particularly true into the wind. Don’t be afraid to take that 4 iron from a 7 iron distance and swing nice and smooth! When is the last time you saw an average player hit it too far when playing into a strong breeze?
• When in a crosswind, try to determine how far you feel the wind will move your ball if hit with your normal ball flight, then pick a target that is 5  to 10 yards even further away from where you want the ball to finish and try to start it on that line. You always want to OVER play the cross wind and have your ball moving TOWARDS your target rather than AWAY from your target, especially if the wind is blowing in the direction of the curve of your natural ball flight. Once again, make sure you have plenty of club allowing yourself to swing at a nice easy pace to reduce the amount of spin imparted on the ball.

Playing in the wind is difficult, but it is also one of the great aspects of our outdoor game, helping to keep it always fresh and interesting.

Learn to work with the wind and not against it and you’ll become a better wind player. Take plenty of club, overplay the wind with your aim, concentrate on hitting a solid shot with a nice smooth swing, and “let the wind be your friend”!

Harris Teeter is an east coast regional grocer that started in North Carolina over 50 years ago with the merger of two young grocer companies owned by, W. T. Harris and Willis L. Teeter.  The first “Harris Teeter” opened in Kannapolis, NC and within three years there were 25 stores in operation. Today, Harris Teeter operates over 200 stores in eight states and the District of Columbia.

Giving back is at the core of Harris Teeter’s mission. It shows, as they gave over $9 million to nonprofit partners in 2012! Harris Teeter believes that by giving back to its communities,  it can help build incredible neighborhoods for everyone. They see getting involved in communities at the local store level and through corporate contributions as an important part of doing business. But more importantly, they want vibrant neighborhoods because that’s where their associates and customers live.

A great example of their community initiatives is the ‘Together in Education’ Program. Launched in 1998, the program has raised $18.7 million for participating academic schools. The process is simple, participating schools make families aware that when they shop for groceries to purchase Harris Teeter brand items and a portion of those purchases will go back to their child’s school. Everything gets tracked through the individuals VIC card by linking it to the school of choice! In February 2013, $385,000 was donated to some 4,800 schools that participate in the program with an individual school earning anywhere from a few dollars up to $7,000. Currently there are 16 schools in Glynn County that participate in the TIE program, having raised approximately $3,100 to date this school year.

Click Here to learn more about TIE program and how you can participate.

Harris Teeter has focused their giving into three main areas, eliminating hunger, educating children and serving specific community needs.  The vision of Harris Teeter and the Davis Love Foundation align very nicely. Both emphasizing the importance of well being for children in communities we can directly impact. Through Harris Teeter’s support of The McGladrey Classic and joint efforts, together we hope to make a difference in the Golden Isles!

Click Here to learn more about Harris Teeter’s year round charitable initiatives. 

We get questions all the time about ‘what’ we are working on ‘this far out’ from the tournament. Here’s a peak at what’s coming up VERY soon,

-        Currently – Wednesday Pro-Am is SOLD OUT, Limited Spots remain in our Monday Pro-Am

-        March – Outstanding Volunteer Award Recognition & updating website content/merchandise

-        April – Returning Volunteer Registration & Birdies Fore Love Charitable Partner Kick Off

-        May – New Volunteer Registration, Tickets Now on Sale & Demo Day Fore Charity

-        June – Begin accepting Birdies Fore Love Pledges

-        Ongoing – Customizing sponsorship packages for clients and prospects – it’s the perfect place to grow and cultivate relationships!

We’ve already started planning some tweaks to the tournament week schedule – all of which we are really excited about. A few things that we can tell you about now to mark on your calendar,

-        Youth Day is moving to MONDAY, November 4 + it will be COMMUNITY DAY and OPEN to the Public, FREE of charge!

-        The Wiffle Ball Classic was a HUGE success in 2012, raising $15,000 for Blessings in a Backpack at Altama Elementary School – it’s moving to TUESDAY, November 5 and will be held at Frederica Academy Baseball Field

Now it’s back to planning, building and tweaking. We’ve got 213 days left to make this year’s McGladrey Classic the best one yet!

PS: Proceeds from this year’s tournament will help us SURPASS the $1,000,000 mark in funds raised for children and families in need! That’s something to really get excited about.

PPS: Until next time!

On our first visit to the site we worked on only one of the homes. Part of the team worked inside prepping and priming the walls for paint while the other half worked outside the home hanging vinyl siding. On the second visit, we took some of our regular Davis Love Foundation Volunteers along with us. On this trip most of the exterior work had been completed so we worked inside hanging doors, trim, caulking and painting.

Not only were we learning the correct way to trim out a home and assemble the puzzle that is vinyl siding; We were learning that even in a community as picturesque and ideal as ours, there are many who are struggling to give their children shelter. Habitat for Humanity does an amazing job at creating housing for those who are struggling;  We have truly enjoyed working on this build! So much so that we are planning a trip back in two weeks!

View our Habitat for Humanity Build Photo Album

Written by Lexie Love, McGladrey Classic Tournament Coordinator