Helping and Lending Outreach Support (HALOS) is a Charleston-based organization formed in 1997 by Dr. Eve Spratt. The mission of HALOs is to provide resources and special opportunities to abused and neglected children and their caregivers through partnerships with faith-based and other community organizations.

For sponsorship details or to donate, visit www.halos.dojiggy.com. For more information about HALOS contact Elisa Mundis Strickler by calling (843) 953-3715, or visit www.charlestonhalos.org.

The PGA Tour’s Nationwide Tour comes to its annual pressure-packed conclusion this week on the Daniel Island Club’s Ralston Creek course. The field has been narrowed to the season’s top sixty money winners, who will compete in the Nationwide Tour Championship October 27-30 for a $180,000 first prize and one of 25 PGA Tour cards for the 2012 season.

“I love coming back to the Ralston Creek course,” said Kyle Thompson of Greenville, S.C. at a press conference earlier this fall. “I think you’re going to see some great golf playing out on Daniel Island this year.”

Thompson, who enters the tournament at number 13 on the money list, is one of six players from South Carolina competing this year. The international field is bringing players from as far away as Australia and New Zealand to Charleston’s island town. Thousands of fans are expected to attend, and millions more will watch the live coverage on The Golf Channel.

In addition to nail-biting competition, the Nationwide Tour Championship brings live music and entertainment to the back of the clubhouse all week long, starting with the Carolina Studios Pro Am Jam on Tuesday, October 25th, featuring Mark Bryan and Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish, Branford Marsalis, Pat Green, Johnny Lee and other special surprise guests. Fans and players will also enjoy the 19th Hole Happy Hour and live music following play each day of the tournament.

The Nationwide Tour Championship is presented by the Student Transportation of America Education Foundation, which advances education opportunities available to high school seniors in Charleston and throughout the country. In addition to raising funds for this notable cause, the tournament raises money for dozens of area non-profit organizations through its TICKETS Fore CHARITY program.

For your chance to win tickets to this year’s Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island, be sure to “like” the My Island Town Facebook page and look for chances to win all week long. And if you can’t make it out to see the action live in person, be sure to check out the television coverage from Daniel Island on The Golf Channel October 27-30 from 2:30-5:00 pm each day.

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.

Matt Bettencourt, the 2008 Nationwide Tour Champion

The top 60 money winners from this year’s Tour will head to Charleston October 19 – 25 to compete in this season-ending event, but only 25 will earn their PGA Tour cards for the 2010 season.

Event organizers recently met with local media and golf insiders — including Matt Bettencourt, the 2008 Nationwide Tour Champion — to discuss plans for this year’s event.

Denis Gallagher, Daniel Island resident and president of STAEF, and Kevin Canning, Exec. Dir. of the Nationwide Tour Championship

Besides the main tournament, other plans for the week include Pro-Am competitions, afternoon and evening music performances and special events, a junior’s golf event and an area where spectators can watch the tournament while keeping up with the weekend’s football games.

Watch the video below for a brief look at what 2008 Nationwide Tour Champion and current PGA Tour player Matt Bettencourt had to say to the media this week about this year’s venue and the Nationwide Tour Championship experience:

The event’s “Tickets FORE Charity” program is ensuring that 100% of proceeds from ticket sales go to over 40 local non profit organizations. Tickets can be purchased by calling (800) 677-2293 between 9:00 am – 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. For further ticket details, click here.

For questions or more information about the event, please contact Margaret Shaw at (843) 849-3154 or e-mail at Margaret.shaw@familycirclecup.com.

Golf Digest magazine’s most recent ranking of the country’s best golf instructors by state is out, and the Daniel Island Club’s Director of Instruction has landed in the top ten for South Carolina. Ballots were distributed to more than 1,000 instructors throughout the state, asking them to rank their peers on a grade-point scale from 1 to 10. This year, Ron Cerrudo is number five on the list.

 Ron has been helping members and guests at the Daniel Island Club’s expansive practice facility improve their game since 2003. A two-time winner on the PGA Tour, he settled on Hilton Head Island, where he developed a successful following as a golf instructor, before coming to Daniel Island.

You can check out some of Ron’s tips and pointers right here on My Island Town, where we periodically post his insights in a series called “The Practice Range.” The latest tip – “How to Play in Wet Conditions” – was just posted today.

Congratulations, Ron!

By Ron Cerrudo, Director of Instruction at the Daniel Island Club

We have had more than our fair share of rain this year and as a result, we often find ourselves playing golf on soggy courses. There are some compensations that must be made when playing in these conditions:

• When playing out of the fairway,never try to hit the ball hard. Instead, choak down on the club grip and pick the ball up off the turf. If you try to hit the ball too hard, your feet can slip causing you to hit the ball fat, which does your clothes no good at all.

• Pitching can be very difficult in these conditions, too. Instead of using the lob wedge or even the sand club, try the pitching wedge. You are less likely to stick the club in the ground.

• When playing bunker shots, use the lob wedge. It has less bounce, therefore it makes it easier to get the club under the ball.

• After a good rainfall, the sand becomes compacted. Take the club steeper on backswing and downswing, which will get the club under the ball instead of bouncing into the ball and blading it over the green.

• Lastly, play the course from the tees that allow you to hit the greens in regulations. In this year’s U.S.Open, the U.S.G.A. moved the tees up so the contestants could reach the greens with a reasonable club. If it is a good enough for the U.S.Open, it should be good enough for you!

Good Luck!

Recently, I had the privilege of playing with my old tour roommate, Tom Watson. Yes, that Tom Watson! The first thing I noticed was how pure his putting stroke was from short distances. As you probably know, in recent years Tom has had trouble with short putts ranging from three to five feet. I finally couldn’t contain myself so I asked him what he did to smooth out his stroke on the most crucial putts. His answer really surprised me. Tom starts by feeling the ball (what I mean is concentrating intensely on the ball) then looks at his hands as he takes the putter back. By doing this, he focuses on making a smooth stroke instead of worrying if he is going to make the putt.

If you are having trouble with short distance putts, try Tom’s approach – but make sure you practice before taking it out on the course. Tom practices these types of putts by placing the balls around the hole like a clock, three feet away from each other, making sure the area has some slope. He does this so he faces every possible putt: uphill, downhill, right to left and left to right. When you try this, make sure you give each putt your full attention. It was great playing with Tom again. He made eight birdies and two bogies – not bad for a 58 year old!

P.s. He beat me!

Are you a right hand or left hand putter? What I mean is which hand do you use to control your putting stroke?  The best way to discover which category you fall into is to place five balls approximately five feet from the hole. Grip your putter with just your right hand and then putt the five balls. Do the same thing with your left hand. You will soon discover which hand is best for you.This is important because there are different fundamentals for different hands.

If you are a person that feels control with the right hand you might need a putter that is a little longer than your present one. You will stand taller with a longer putter, which will cause your elbows to point slightly out. This in turn will create a crook in your right wrist with the palm facing the target. When you stroke the putt be sure the crook remains throughout the stroke and the palm swings lower than your target.

When you control the putter with the left hand your fundamentals are different. You want your arms to hang almost straight and this is why a shorter putter might be better. When stroking the putt pull the putter through the stroke with the back of the left hand toward the target. If you use the wrong fundamentals for these methods you are in trouble as far as being consistent in your putting. If your putting is good, stick to what you are doing. If you are having trouble, try these suggestions – what do you have to loose!