The Bear’s Club is the realization of Jack Nicklaus’ decades-old vision of creating a golf club in his own South Florida backyard that reflects his passion for the game. The course is covered with old pines and palmettos. There is a 12-foot-high sand ridge running across the site. Nicklaus enhanced it and added a couple of others that look equally natural. According the Bear’s Club website, Nicklaus integrated the design into the environment by retaining native brush wherever possible, separated from playing areas by transition areas of sand and pine straw. It has high-banked bunkers with special sand brought in from Ohio that won’t wash out in a rain shower.

The 18-hole “Bear’s” course features 7,164 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. The course rating is 75.2, and it has a slope rating of 146 on Bermuda grass.  Designed by Nicklaus, ASGCA, the Bear’s golf course opened in 2008. It was named Golf Digest Magazine's Top Rated Golf Courses for Florida in 2005 and Golfweek Magazine’s America’s Best Top 100 Modern (post 1960) courses also in 2005.

The two-day Golf Classic, sponsored by hosts Mickey and Brenda Nocera of Palm Beach Gardens and Bethesda, Maryland; Christ Fellowship; the Wall Family and Dean Morehouse make it possible for 100 percent of the event’s proceeds to go toward annual operations for Place of Hope.  Place of Hope, one of the largest family-style child welfare organizations in Florida, provides emergency and long-term family-style foster care, family outreach and intervention, transitional housing and support services, adoption and foster care recruitment and support, and hope and healing opportunities for children and families who have been traumatized by abuse and neglect throughout
South Florida.

Tequesta resident Maudie Pande, a longtime supporter of Place of Hope, will be honored at this year’s dinner for her dedication to foster children and that of her late husband, Larry Pande.

 “The need to serve these children and their families is so great. Especially in this economy, the need surpasses what state and federal government agencies can provide, and that is where we can make a difference,” said Place of Hope Executive Director Charles Bender. “What these leaders do by simply playing golf and giving of their resources in two days can change a child’s life. We hope that more people become involved with this enormous challenge, which will impact our social structure, economy and quality of life. Taking care of our children is the most important thing we can do.”

Dinner and Golf Tournament Tickets

Foursome: $6,000

Reservations for a foursome of golf, four spa treatments and eight seats at the Charity Auction Dinner

Single Player: $1,500

Reservations for one golfer, one spa treatment and two seats at the Charity Auction Dinner

Sponsorship Levels:

Presenting Sponsor and Host ($100,000)

Hosts ($50,000)

Platinum Sponsors ($25,000 plus)

Gold Sponsors (10,000 plus)

Million Dollar Shootout Sponsor ($5,000 plus)

Hole in One Sponsors (various levels)

Amenity Package Sponsors (various levels)

Tee/Hole Sponsors ($1,000)