MVP Sports and Social brings big fun to mini golf in Sarasota

By Liz Ramos
| 10:30 a.m. August 8, 2024

Lakewood Ranch's Christine Monachos celebrates her hole-in-one.

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Lakewood Ranch's Jean Hubbard jumped for joy and screamed as she watched her husband, John Hubbard bury a hole-in-one.

Besides enjoying their own game, the Hubbards were able to get to know Lakewood Ranch's Marty and Mollie Saia as they played 18 holes of mini golf Aug. 6 at Smugglers Cove in Sarasota through MVP Sports and Social's mini golf league.

The league rotates between Smugglers Cove courses in Sarasota and Bradenton and the The Fish Hole course in Lakewood Ranch.

As the golfers play the courses, they tried to help each other, giving advice on the best approaches to sink a hole-in-one.

GreyHawk Landing's Francis Lopez said the course being wet from the rains of Hurricane Debby meant the players had to hit the ball harder.

The players also knew how to make the game more challenging.

Lopez and Lakewood Ranch's Marcia Bailey said rather than just hitting the ball with the putter, mini golfers could try various other ways of hitting the ball.

They suggested using the putter as a pool cue, using their opposite hand to hit the ball or playing with their eyes closed. They also suggested kicking the ball instead or throwing it like a bowling ball.

Lakewood Ranch's Mollie Saia matches her outfit to her MVP Sports and Social mini golf league shirt.

Lakewood Ranch's Mollie Saia and John Hubbard watch as Marty Saia tries his best to get his ball under the structure and directly to the hole. It took Marty Saia two strokes to finish the hole.

Lakewood Ranch's Jean Hubbard screams and jumps around to celebrate her husband John Hubbard's hole-in-one.

GreyHawk Landing's Francis Lopez looks at the path he wants his ball to take before taking his first stroke.

Acting like a bowling ball, Lakewood Ranch's Marcia Bailey takes down Palmetto's Collin Thole, Bradenton's Jon Koll and GreyHawk Landing's Francis Lopez.

Lakewood Ranch's John Rumpf eases the ball into the hole with a one-handed stroke. It only took him two strokes to finish the hole.

GreyHawk Landing's Franciz Lopez is stunned as he just nearly misses a hole-in-one.

Lakewood Ranch's Kelly Harmon tees off. Between holes, she danced and joked with other golfers.

Chuck and Tricia Gerdon say the key to mini golf is hitting the ball hard and not taking the game too seriously.

Bradenton's Meghann Ehling and Tonya Dottellis and Sarasota's Casey Waugh and Anthony Pullara tackle each hole together, seeing who can get the best score. Every time MVP Sports and Social participants play, they're paired with new people.

Rose Sumrall, Elizabeth Steinke, Chris McComas and Jacob Barker are one of the last groups from MVP Sports and Social to start the course, but that doesn't stop them from having a good time.

author

Liz Ramos

Managing Editor Liz Ramos previously covered education and community for the East County Observer. Before moving to Florida, Liz was an education reporter for the Lynchburg News & Advance in Virginia for two years after graduating from the Missouri School of Journalism.