Marty Sanchez looks trim at 20
Big celebration planned today at city golf course
You’re only 20 once, right? That was the thinking of Henry Lucero, the marketing coordinator for Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe. He said members and workers remembered a more intimate celebration for the 10th and 15th anniversary of the golf course’s grand opening, but felt that a larger gathering was more appropriate as it prepared for its third decade of existence.
“Now that they have a marketing staff on board here, it was an opportunity for us to focus on doing something more,” Lucero said.
Lucero and the staff came up with a couple of smaller ideas at the start of the year, but Friday kicks off the course’s celebration of its 20th year. The main item will be an opening ceremony honoring the course, which will include city officials and the Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe Golf Course Advisory Committee along with a reading of a proclamation.
Alo Brodsky, the course’s PGA pro, will hold a free clinic at the driving range from 3-5 p.m., and golf club manufacturer TaylorMade will have a “demo day” in which people can test some of the company’s new equipment and custom golf fitting from its experts.
To top it off, golfers can pay $20 for greens fees, provided they set up a tee time.
It is the signature event so far of the yearlong celebration, but Lucero said the golf course already held “Local Appreciation Day” on the 20th day of each month since January. Marty Sanchez also will hold a free golf clinic from 3-5 p.m. on those days, as well, Lucero said.
Marty Sanchez started operating in September 1998, but Lucero said holding the opening ceremonies in April when he said it helps to drum up interest for the rest of the year.
“We wanted to kick it off before the summer season began,” Lucero said.
The other signature event will be the 20th anniversary tournament on July 20, and the marketing staff has been working hard at securing sponsors. The tournament also will have a raffle, with the grand prize being 20 rounds of golf at Marty Sanchez.
Lucero said course architect Baxter Spann will make an appearance at the tournament and he will be honored with a plaque recognizing his work. Also scheduled to make an appearance is LPGA legend and World Golf Hall of Fame member Kathy Whitworth, who
was on hand for the course’s grand opening.
In a stroke of good fortune, the City of Santa Fe Golf Championship moved to early June to accommodate Las Campanas, Lucero said. Also, Marty Sanchez will go from being the host course for the final round to the second, while Las Campanas will hold the final round of the three-day tournament.
Marty Sanchez has made a place in the city as well as the golfing community.
The course has seen more than 793,000 rounds played since its inception.
“It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come and how much we have accomplished in the past 20 years.” said Jennifer Romero, the Municipal Recreation Complex golf course manager, in a news release. “Especially for being a municipal golf course. This anniversary showcases the type of dedication we have for our city and for outdoor recreation.”