By Bruce Meadows
MAY 2026
Come check it out !!!
The Redwood Empire Golf Hall of Fame . . .
Following a few unexpected delays, the Redwood Empire Golf Hall of
Fame is on the wall in the Iron & Vine restaurant at Bennett Valley Golf
Course.
The initial hall honors 36 “golf people” from our community, including
Sonoma, Lake, Napa and Mendocino counties. In years to come, more
names will be added.
As I have written many times – maybe too many !!! – the idea for the Hall
of Fame came up just after area golfing legend Dean James passed away
a while back. While thinking about the impact Dean had on golf in our
community, it struck me that the idea of honoring golf people who had
influenced the game in myriad ways was long overdue.
I brought up the idea with Bennett Valley GM Greg Anderson, something
of a local legend himself, and he liked the idea. We started putting a list
together. We started checking with golf-related people around the area and
the list grew. We also reached out to the public.
At first we wanted the initial group to be about 25 people, but names kept
coming up we felt deserved a spot and the list grew to 36.
We knew there were people who did not make that first list but received a
lot of support . . . as I said, we will be adding deserving people to the list in
years to come.
March 28, a Saturday night, dinner was held at Bennett Valley GC. At first
we had hoped to attract 90-100 guests . . . we ended up with close to 200.
I talked with Greg the other day and we agreed that the dinner was even
more than we had hoped it would be. Many of the inductees had not seen
or talked with each other in years, so it was one incredible reunion that no
doubt rekindled a lot of old friendships.
Radio-TV golf celebrity John Abendroth served as our MC, and he was
outstanding. BV Director of Sales and Marketing Jessica Schroeder did
so much of the behind-the-scenes work and we can’t thank her enough.
We got a lot of post-dinner emails, texts and phone calls thanking us for
putting things together. We were grateful, but also very thankful we had a
chance to do it.
If you happen to be golfing at BV or are just in the area, stop by and take
a look at the Hall of Fame plaque on the wall in the restaurant.
And if you have suggestions for future inductees, email me or let Greg
know what you think.
Honor well-deserved . . .
Terry Stratton at Little River GC . . .
Congratulations to Terry Stratton, a Cardinal Newman grad, and the
entire golf course maintenance crew at Little River Inn and Golf Course.
Audubon International just recognized Little River Inn for 20 years as a
Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.
According to the people at Little River: “That’s two decades of taking care
of our land to the best of our abilities. And this is a piece of the Mendocino
coast we think is well worth protecting. Wildlife habitat, water conservation,
integrated pest management, naturalized areas… we've made this course
something truly special, and it's always nice getting recognized for that
hard work.
“Only about 750 courses worldwide hold this certification. Terry's
leadership is the reason we've been on the list for 20 of those years.
“From Audubon International CEO Christine Kane: "They made
environmentally sustainable golf course management an integral part of
their operating principles long before it became an accepted option."
“Thank you Terry, thank you to the maintenance team, and thank you to
every community volunteer who's pitched in along the way. It really does
take a village! Here's to the next 20 years.”
Little River Inn is a great place to stay and the golf course is unique. The
long drive to Mendocino is well worth the trip.
Best golfing tip???
Have you ever received a tip to help your golf game that was really
effective?
If so, email me at bmeadows4sports@aol.com and I will share it with our
readers.
Save the date . . .
A memorial for Paul Nikol will be held at the Nikol Ranch (2560 Laughlin
Road, Windsor, CA) on June 20th, starting at 1pm. If you wish to bring
something, please bring your favorite finger food to share with others.
If have any questions, use the following email address,
yasterb811@gmail.com with any questions or comments. It would also be
greatly appreciated to know if you will be attending the memorial so we can
have an approximate number of individuals attending.
Coming up . . .
At Foxtail GC . . .
Foxtail Junior Club: Tournament Series
Calling all competitive junior golfers (ages 10–18)
Step up and test your game in 10 full 18-hole stroke play tournaments this
season at Foxtail. (Dates listed below).
• Win prizes after every event
• Earn points toward the Player of the Year Trophy
• Compete against players in your age flight
• One low price covers the entire series
$100 includes entry to ALL events
Flights may change based on entries
Flights will based on age of as of 10/24/2026
This is not a beginner program. Golfers should be able to play 18 holes
walking.
Tournament Dates: 6/13/2026 S, 7/11/2026 N, 8/8/2026 S, 8/22/2026 S,
9/12/2026 S, 9/26/2026 N, 10/10/2026 S, 10/24/2026 N (Bonus Points)
Open to the public. Call 707-584-7766
Sonoma County Amateur Championship
May 16-17
NCGA Point Event. 36 Hole Championship: Foxtail North. Entry $215.
Flights: Championship, Mens Net, Womens Championship, Womens Net,
Senior (ages 55-64) Flight Gross and Net, Super Senior (ages 65+) Flight
Gross and Net, Special Legends Flight played in Super Senior Flight (ages
75+) Gross and Net Winner. No trophy provided to Legend Flight.
Special Practice Round Rates May 11 – May 15 ($55.00 includes shared
cart). Skins game 12:00pm on May 14. Must email cgay@playfoxtail.com to
RSVP. Call 707-584-7766
At Fairgrounds GC . . .
Now Enrolling for the Adult Academy at the Fairgrounds GC.
– 3-week program, $275 total ($45 per session), – small groups (max 4
players)
Schedule Options: Mondays & Wednesdays; • Tuesdays & Thursdays
Time Slots: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM (Early Birds); 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (Lunch
Break); • 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM (Happy Hour)
What’s Included:
3 Practice Sessions to build skills and confidence; 3 On-Course Lessons
to apply your skills in real play
Have a group? Coordinate your foursome and get started together. Joining
solo? Let us know and we’ll match you with a group.
To register, email mlekwart@gmail.com or call (415) 450-1033.
Spots are limited.
Joining solo? Let us know and we’ll match you with a group.
To register, email mlekwart@gmail.com or call (415) 450-1033.
Spots are limited—secure yours today!
At Northwood GC . . .
We’d love to have you join us . . .
GOLF 707 currently has sponsorships available. If you’d like to support
our online golf column, we would be able to feature your golf course or
business in the column on a regular basis
If you’d like some details, contact Dave Cox at ysn365.com
Thanks . . . Bruce Meadows
We would like to hear from you . . .
. .
Thanks for your comments, questions and suggestions. I appreciate them and would
like to get as many as possible.
If you have information about anything golf-related, including upcoming clinics,
activities, tournaments or sales, let me know.
And if you have questions, complaints or compliments about golf in our area, let me
know and I’ll make some inquiries. Email me at bmeadows4sports@aol.com