The belle of the ball during the TaylorMade Driving Relief skins match, at least according to some, will be Seminole Golf Club.
The ultra-private club, of which few photos can be found, is a south Florida treasure for members who love golf and would like to keep their world private. The television cameras will help tell part of the story of the course, but what about the membership? Who are the lucky few who get to play Seminole at their leisure?
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We can start with one of the most famous fathers in golf Gerry McIlroy. Rory’s father is a solid player and calls Seminole one of his clubs. So too does Tom Brady, recent migrant to the Sunshine State. The world-famous quarterback loves his golf and needed a good spot to tee it up now that he’s a Tampa Bay Buccaneer.
PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh is a member, as are Pete Bevacqua and Mike Davis, to round out a trio of powerful executives who have decided the fate of the game here in the United States. You can add Mark Loomis to that bunch. He’s the executive producer of FOX’s golf coverage and no doubt knows a thing or two about bringing cameras to a course for the first time.
Rob Manfred, the commissioner of Major League Baseball, can call himself a member. Surely he gets in a round or two or 12 during spring training.
One of the most famous behind-the-scenes men in golf, Jimmy Dunne, is the president of the club. He gets to play with Phil Mickelson at the annual Pro-Member.
Of course, there are numerous members who aren’t world famous. Or those who we just haven’t deemed famous quite yet. But what is the fun in that? As our own Michael Bamberger pointed out, Larry Fitzgerald has the best dreadlocks at the club, but we are not sure of the competition in that race. Michael Bloomberg, who recently ran for President of the United States, is also on the list.
This of course would be no good list without mentioning the golfiest members that Seminole has boasted, like Ben Hogan, Pete Dye or Rees Jones. With all due respect to the latter pair, Seminole became Seminole in part because Hogan prepped for the Masters there. Need we say more?
Sean Zak is a writer at GOLF Magazine and just published his first book, which follows his travels in Scotland during the most pivotal summer in the game’s history.
