Top 100 teacher Patri creates alumni event

Tom Patri, a Long Island native who grew up playing at Spring Lake in Middle Island, has been teaching golf for 30 years. By his calculation, he will pass the 45,000-hour mark in lessons sometime in January. Also by his calculation, it is time to celebrate.

Patri, a former pro at Bellport Country Club who now splits his year between Friar's Head in Riverhead and The Quarry in Naples, Fla., is inviting former students to an alumni event at the Pucatana Resort & Club in the Dominican Republic March 10-14. Students will have to pay for travel and accommodations, but all the details will be handled by a new "events division" at Tom Patri Golf Services. That effort is being coordinated by Richard Smith (484) 889-1603.

Before he became a pro, Patri was an All-American and NCAA Division II champion at Florida Southern. He qualified for the NCAA Division I tournament and missed the cut. As he sat outside reflecting, a casual acquaintance from the University of Houston's team stopped to cheer him up. It was Fred Couples. That day began a longtime friendship and explains why Couples has made several golf clinic appearances on the Island over the years.

Golf Magazine has named Patri among its Top 100 teachers.

19th hole

Lee Ann Lewis of Southward Ho and Peter Ganley of Wheatley Hills won the Long Island Golf Association's Mixed Pinehurst Championship with a 1-under par 71 at North Hills Thursday . . . Ray Floyd Jr. was medalist in the U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifier at Wykagyl in New Rochelle Thursday. Gary Spector of Woodmere also qualified.