Golf in Orlando: Attending the Legendary Father Son Challenge
Tournament at Champions Gate
After our exciting round at Mystic Dunes, it was only
mid-afternoon on a gorgeous day with blue skies, so we decided
to take a 10 minute drive and drop in on the Father Son
Challenge at Champion's Gate, which has been held for the last 3
years at this golf course in the South part of Orlando. You
can't miss Champion's Gate, when you first get off exit 58 on
the I-4, the impressive main entrance gates to Champion's Gate
are right there.
The Father Son Legend is truly a walking Hall of Fame of Golf,
and it's a celebration of the sport as well as of the bonds of
family. Famous golf professionals of the present and the past
play with their talented sons and daughters, and all of them
share a passion for the game.
This year's line-up included Jack and Jackie Nicklaus, Arnold
Palmer and his grandson Sam Saunders, Vijay Singh and 15 year
old son Qass, Mark and Shaun O'Meara, Craig and Chris Stadler,
Bob and David Charles, Raymond and Robert Floyd (Raymond has won
the Father Son Challenge 5 times since 1994 together with his
sons Robert and Raymond Jr.), Hale and Steve Irwin, Tom and
David Kite, Bernard and 15 year old Stefan Langer, Davis Love
III and his 12-year old son Dru, Johnny Miller and Johnny Miller
II, Larry and Josh Nelson, Curtis and Tom Strange, Lee and
Daniel Trevino, Fuzzy Zoeller and his daughter Gretchen.
We parked our car and approached the club house. Just as we were
walking towards the stands on the 18th hole, Davis Love III had
finished his round and was coming towards the club house. It is
really an amazing experience, seeing all these world famous
celebrities and icons of the sport, up so close and so relaxed
in this unique tournament format.
The rules of playh are based on a Scramble Format, which means
that on each hole, each player drives and the best drive is
selected. Each player then plays a second shot from the spot
where the selected drive lies, and the best second shot is
selected. This process is completed uniti the hole is completed.
When we were there we also saw golf greats like Vijay Singh,
Mark O'Meara and Lee Trevino finish their rounds. It was great
seeing Vijay, relaxing after his final putt with a coffee in
hand, awaiting the arrival of his son on the last hole and
watching his son's last putt of the day. Because this tournament
pairs up the great players of golf with their sons or daughters,
it really gives you a much better feeling of these professionals
as human beings, and according to Allan Findley, General Manager
of Champions Gate, many of these players truly relish this
event, which allows them to celebrate their sport as a family
away from the pressures of the PGA Tour.
We really enjoyed the atmosphere at the Father Son Challenge,
and it would have been great to see some of the other legends of
golf, like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, in person.
Unfortunately we have an extremely tight schedule and will be
unable to come back on a second day, but it was a great
experience, getting a first person look at this "Walking Hall of
Fame" of the game of golf.