Daniel Island Club Returns to the Charleston Wine + Food Festival

Earlier this month, the annual Charleston Wine + Food Festival presented its three-day extravaganza highlighting our city’s renown local cuisine and award-winning restaurants, along with celebrity chefs and vintners from around the country. The Festival took place March 2-4, and once again, the Daniel Island Club‘s culinary team was in on the action.

For the forth year in a row, Executive Chef Tyler Dudley and his team participated in the closing day Gospel Brunch, a Festival favorite. The lucky guests dining at Chef Tyler’s tables enjoyed local heirloom beet salad, house-smoked pork shoulder with poached local egg, and decadent bananas foster bread pudding, all while taking in live gospel music on the scenic grounds of downtown’s historic Lowndes Grove Plantation.

Also this year, the team participated in Bubbles and Bites at The Restoration on King, a loft-style boutique hotel on King Street. Chef Tyler was one of six featured chefs who prepared bites featuring South Carolina seafood to pair with sparkling wines. The Daniel Island Club offerings: Blackened local shrimp with “pate of the south,” and clam and yellowfin tuna ceviche with lime and chipotle gelee.

“It was an honor to participate in the Festival again,” said Chef Tyler. “It was our fourth year being part of this amazing event — we look forward to participating next year and in years to come.”

Check out these delicious-looking shots from the Gospel Brunch, taken by Lauren Whetsell of the Daniel Island Club:

Golf and Good Times at the 2011 Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island

The Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island wrapped up on Sunday, October 30 following an exciting week of special events and fierce competition as the season’s top 60 money-winners battled it out to be one of 25 to leave Daniel Island with their PGA TOUR cards for 2012. The picture-perfect fall weather brought residents and visitors out to the Daniel Island Club to experience PGA-sanctioned golf and catch a glimpse of some of the sport’s future stars. In the end, Ken Duke of Hope, Arkansas captured the Championship title and took home the $180,000 grand prize along with his PGA card.

Check out these highlights from the 2011 Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island:

Celebrity Athletes and Musicians Unite for a Great Cause on Daniel Island

Not only will there be exciting golf to watch on the island next month, but there will also be some fantastic music to listen to as Mark Bryan, Branford Marsalis, Pat Green, Colt Ford and others will perform at the Nationwide Tour Championship Pro-Am Jam on Tuesday, October 25 at the Daniel Island Club. This special concert will benefit Carolina Studios, a non-profit youth music and media arts program spearheaded by Mark Bryan of Hootie & The Blowfish.

Prior to the concert, Mark Bryan and 23 additional celebrities will participate in a special Pro-Am tournament on the Daniel Island Club’s Ralston Creek course. Island residents and friends are invited to watch the tournament, free of charge. Each Pro-Am grouping will include a Nationwide Tour professional, one celebrity golfer and three amateur players.

Following is a sampling of celebrities that will be participating in the festivities:

• Mark Bryan (Musician – Hootie & the Blowfish)
• Patrick Davis (Musician – Southern Rock)
• Todd Ellis (Former South Carolina Quarterback Standout, “Voice of the Gamecocks”)
• Colt Ford (Musician – Country)
• Ralph Friedgen (Former Maryland University football coach)
• Harold Green (Former NFL Running Back for the Bengals) (College: South Carolina)
• Pat Green (Musician – Country)
• Branford Marsalis (Musician – Saxophonist, Composer, Band leader)
• George Rogers (Former NFL Running Back – Saints & Redskins, 1981 NFL Rookie of the Year, 1980 Heisman Trophy Winner) (College: South Carolina)
  

  Branford Marsalis

• Charlie Rymer (Golf Channel announcer, co-host on Big Break PrinceEdward Island)
• Justin Smoak (Former MLB First Baseman – Rangers & Mariners) (College: South Carolina)
• Mickey Tettleton (Former MLB 2-Time All-Star Catcher – A’s, Orioles, Tigers, Rangers)

This first annual Pro-Am Jam is an event that you will not want to miss! General admission concert tickets can be purchased for $25 at nationwidetourchampionship.com, or by calling the Box Office at (800) 677-2293, ext. 3 between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.

Nationwide Tour Alumni Winning Big On This Year’s PGA TOUR

Five rookie players who received their PGA TOUR cards at last year’s Nationwide Tour Championship right here on Daniel Island are producing impressive wins on the PGA TOUR this year, including rookie Keegan Bradley, who captured the year’s final “major” at last week’s PGA Championship. This is certainly good news for the Nationwide Tour, which is producing some very competitive players:

• Last year’s Nationwide Tour Champion, Brendon Steele, broke through with a win at the Valero Texas Open in April, holding off Kevin Chappell and Charley Hoffman with a strong par on the 72nd hole.  Brendon also shared the leader board last Sunday.

• Fresh off his first first career victory in May at the HP Byron Nelson Championship (following a playoff with Ryan Palmer), Keegan Bradley won his first major title this month in a two-way playoff with fellow American Jason Dufner at the 93rd PGA Championship.

• Scott Stallings won the Greenbrier Classic in July, sinking a birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Bob Estes and Bill Haas.

• Also in July, 26-year old player Chris Kirk took on the Viking Classic, shooting a 4-under 68 to beat Tom Pernice Jr. and George McNeill by one stroke.

• In January, Venezuela native Jhonattan Vegas won the Bob Hope Classic after hitting into the water on the second playoff and making a 13-foot shot for par to beat Gary Woodland.

Watching these five young rookies win big makes this year’s Nationwide Tour line-up even more exciting. Be sure to keep your eye on rising star players such as Mathew Goggin, Matt Davidson, Danny Lee, Kyle Thompson and Scott Brown as they prepare to compete in the 22nd Nationwide Tour Championship on the Daniel Island Club’s Ralston Creek course October 24 – October 30.

The Nationwide Tour’s 22nd season got underway last spring at the Panama Claro Championship in Panama City, Panama. More than 200 players from the United States and 18 other countries are competing in this season-long quest to win one of 25 PGA TOUR cards for 2012. Founded (1990), owned and operated by the PGA TOUR, the Nationwide Tour identifies those players who are ready to compete and win on golf’s biggest stage. Two out of three PGA TOUR members are Nationwide Tour alumni.

Golf fans can follow the Nationwide Tour on its exclusive television home, The Golf Channel. For further information about the Tour, visit www.pgatour.com, and stay tuned to My Island Town for updates on this Fall’s Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island.

“Backhands & Birdies” at the Daniel Island Club

Whether you enjoy playing a round of golf or serving a few balls on the courts, you are invited to join Junior Achievement as non-profit organization hosts a unique fundraising event that will feature the best of both sports. The inaugural “Birdies and Backhands Classic” will take place at the Daniel Island Club on Friday, April 1st.  Junior Achievement’s annual golf tournament has been a success for more than 15 years, but this year it has expanded to include a round-robin doubles tennis tournament.

Sponsorship packages are still available and include gifts, lunch and tickets to the awards reception at the Park Club following play. Foursomes start at $1,600 and the tennis tournament is $80 per doubles team. Visit www.JACoastalSC.org for more information.

About Junior Achievement
Junior Achievement of Coastal South Carolina is a 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to inspiring and educating students on how to succeed in a global economy. With the Junior Achievement program curriculum, volunteers empower students with the knowledge they need to be productive workers, good citizens and informed consumers. Junior Achievement programs inspire students to be self-advocates willing to take a leadership role in their future economic success.

Daniel Island Club’s Executive Chef Highlights Fresh, Local Ingredients at the Charleston Wine & Food Festival

The BB&T Charleston Wine and Food Festival comes to town this weekend, showcasing the talents of the nation’s most celebrated chefs, culinary professionals and winemakers. Among them will be the Daniel Island Club‘s very own Chef Tyler Dudley, who will be featured in two festival favorites: “Wine Around the Garden” and the “Lowcountry Gospel Brunch.” Both events highlight local chefs using local ingredients. Chef Tyler is the only chef from a local private club participating in this prestigious, nationally-acclaimed festival.

“It’s a true honor to be asked to participate in the Charleston Wine and Food Festival,” said Chef Tyler.  “This is my third year as a guest chef and I really enjoy creating menus inspired by fresh, local ingredients.”

At “Wine Around the Garden” guests will visit the national landmark, Middleton Place Plantation, where they will be joined by four featured chefs who will each prepare a lunch menu paired with a specific winery.

Chef Tyler’s menu will feature smoked salmon rillettes with local green onion and a Charleston favorite – roulade of BBQ pulled pork complimented by spicy southern slaw and Carolina BBQ jus.

“The menu is definitely French, but inspired by southern ingredients, creating an interesting pairing for the wine provided by Chapel Down,” explains Chef Tyler.

Next up is the Lowcountry Gospel Brunch where guests will be served a three-course Lowcountry–style brunch while listening to the traditional sounds of a live gospel ensemble. Ten chefs will be participating and serving their Sunday best, including local favorites such as John Ondo from Lana Bar & Restaurant and Andrew Chadwick from the Woodlands Inn.

Chef Tyler will offer a lump crab and house smoked salmon cake with aged white cheddar grits as a first course, and a braised veal short rib hash with fingerling potatoes and tasso hollandaise for the second course.  The meal will finish with a buttermilk tart served with local berry compote and a mint anglaise.

“It’s all about using local ingredients that are popular in Lowcountry that will also appeal to guests that are not from this area,” said Chef Tyler. “I like to invent a menu that provides a creative sampling of the unique cuisine that Charleston has to offer.”

For more information about the BBT Charleston Wine and Food Festival, go to charlestonwineandfood.com

Daniel Island’s Two Tennis Clubs Battle it Out in a Friendly Tennis Town Challenge

Daniel Island is fortunate to have two outstanding tennis facilities: The 18-court Family Circle Tennis Center, and the Daniel Island Club, which offers members an active tennis program on its 11 courts. This weekend, members from both will compete in the annual Daniel Island Tennis Challenge, an island tradition that continues to grow in popularity.

This four-day event will feature ladies’ and men’s doubles competitions taking place at both world-class facilities. As the home of the Family Circle Cup, the Family Circle Tennis Center is an award-winning operation that hosts outstanding events throughout the year. And the Daniel Island Club includes top flight instruction, social programming and Charleston’s first grass courts among its Tennis Pavilion offerings for members.

It’s all in good fun, so of course there are also an array of social events planned for participants and their families throughout the weekend. From dinner, live music and dancing at the Daniel Island Club on Friday night, to breakfast, lunch and a Saturday night family party and pasta dinner – plus lots of great gifts and prizes – everyone who participates is sure to have a blast.

“The Daniel Island Tennis Challenge has been a great partnership between the Family Circle Tennis Center and the Daniel Island Club, and this highly social event has really created a lot of tennis camaraderie on the island,” said Rob Eppelsheimer, Family Circle Tennis Center Director of Facilities and Tennis Development.  “In its third year, this tournament continues to expand its offerings to players, and it’s really become one of highlights on our membership’s calendar.”

Best of luck to everyone!

Nationwide Tour Season Kicks Off!

The Nationwide Tour’s 22nd season — and its players’ year-long quest to earn a 2012 PGA TOUR card — got underway recently at the Panama Claro Championship in Panama City, Panama.  It is the first of 26 tournaments played in 16 states in the U.S., plus three in Latin America, before concluding here on Daniel Island at the Nationwide Tour Championship in October. More than 200 players from the United States and 18 other countries will compete in this season-long quest to win one of 25 PGA TOUR for 2012.

“One of the very special things about the Nationwide Tour is that with each new year comes great anticipation and interest about which players will emerge and content for “The 25” PGA TOUR cards that are available through this tour,” said Nationwide Tour preside Bill Calfee.

Golf fans can follow the season-long quest on the Nationwide Tour’s exclusive television home, the Golf Channel. Fans may also follow the Tour on www.pgatour.com, Twitter and Facebook.

Some young, new faces to watch include: Mark Anderson, Roberto Castro, Dustin Garza, Josh Geary, Matthew Giles, James Hahn, Billy Hurley, Danny Lee, Won Joon Lee, Rob Oppenheim, Andrew Svobodoa,  Ty Tryon, and Brett Waldman.

Watch all season long, then come to Daniel Island Oct. 24-30 to meet golf’s future stars wind down the season on the Daniel Island Club’s Ralston Creek course.

About The Nationwide Tour:
Founded (1990), owned and operated by the PGA Tour, the Nationwide Tour identifies those players who are ready to compete and win on golf’s biggest stage.  As the official proving ground of the PGA TOUR, two out of three PGA TOUR members are Nationwide Tour alumni.  Twenty-five PGA TOUR cards will be at stake over the course of 26 events in 2011.

Cookie Krumbs Presents: The Daniel Island Club

The girls from Cookie Krumbs are back with a short tour of the Daniel Island Club. Check it out!

Brendan Steele Captures Nationwide Tour Championship Title
on Ralston Creek Course

Spectacular weather and suspenseful competition were the highlights of this year’s Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island October 28-31, where Brendan Steele of California captured his first career win with a birdie on the fourth playoff hole to end the tournament. Following play, Steele, who finished sixth on the season’s money list, joined the rest of the top 25 money winners from the season in a ceremony at the Daniel Island clubhouse, where they received their coveted PGA TOUR cards for 2011.

Televised live on The Golf Channel, the tournament is the season-ending event for the PGA TOUR’S Nationwide Tour. Rees Jones’ championship Ralston Creek layout received rave reviews from players and PGA officials, who marveled at the condition and speed of the greens. Meanwhile, club members and fans enjoyed watching the competition unfold against a stunning backdrop of golden marsh, sweetgrass in bloom and the tidal waters of Ralston Creek.

Beyond golf, the festive 19th Hole behind the clubhouse was a popular gathering spot after play each day, with live music, cocktails and even Halloween activities for the younger fans.

Did you miss the excitement this year? Be sure to tune in next October, when the Nationwide Tour Championship returns to Daniel Island.

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