20 Mar

GatorMOG at TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (March 2021)

Eight spectacular cars (all GatorMOG Morgans) visited the pristine links at the famed TPC Sawgrass course in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, this past week.  Golf enthusiasts will recognize this course as it was just on television, hosting the Tournament Players Championship, a PGA Tour event with a $15M purse!  A purse bigger than the US Open!!  Wow!  We just went for lunch? 

First off we visited with Peter and Lynda McManemy in Ponte Vedra Beach.  Their home is stunning with views of the intercoastal waterway with a large lanai for lounging.   This is the Florida life style!  Peter plays the TPC weekly and says his game is improving??   This is a game for the gods.  I gave it up years ago realizing my inabilities.  My hat is off to Peter!!     

The folks in our gaggle came from all over northern and central Florida.  A few of us convoyed together while others carved out their own routes to Ponta Vedra Beach.  For those in the convoy (I was one), we traveled the highways, top down and enjoying the mild Florida weather.  We did have to playing dodge ball with the eighteen wheelers some but otherwise it was just a spirited but somewhat dull drive.  The folks that traveled the back roads and coastal roads reported a much better trip!    The age of the cars ranged from 1980 to 2020. 

The run to the TPC from Peter and Lynda’s home was trivial.  Just down the lane!!  We rolled in and placed a few of the cars at the front of the Club House and the rest of the cars went into reserved spots in the parking lot.  Quite the operation!!  I guest they knew we were coming? 

The lunch was served outside on the Clubhouse’s lanai.  Breath-taking views of the 18th hole with the skyboxes (tournament spectator tents) still up.   

It was obvious that the tournament had just occurred as the club aura still had that bit of electricity in the air! But surprisingly the grounds were impeccable . . . they showed no signs of the very large spectator crowds of the previous week.   

I guess the most famous of holes at this golf course is the 17th with its putting green surrounded by water.  Peter alluded to amateur players that are so fixated on hitting the green, just once! They would repetitively pitch their golf balls into the water just to have success with one!!  Yes, all for bragging rights!!

It seems that an ambitious young diver now scours bottom of the water hazard around the green once a year claiming the found golf balls to resell!  Good work if you can get it!!

The Morgans out front were a definite attraction.  Folks with large golf club bags stopped to stare. I guess they must have been wondering where they they’d put those clubs, if they had a Morgan? 

Some just stopped and never moved? Not sure what they were wondering? ‘Now where did I park the SUV??’

We had to shoo away a good number of gawkers just to get a photograph with only the cars.   We moved them all to the front of the Club House for a photo op!  Getting the cars positioned just right in front of the fountain was a challenge.  We had a move a few cars around to avoid similar colors side by side, but in the end it came out quite well. 

Just a fleeting moment in time . . . commemorating a wonderful afternoon in Florida. 

Here’s to many more!!

Cheers,
Mark

4 thoughts on “GatorMOG at TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (March 2021)

  1. Beautiful, what a great day for all the Morgan owners..and of course we are all jealous..not quite warm enough here to be dining outside.

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