Pro athletes in every sport seem to have two things in common - they love to golf and they are good at it. Former New Jersey Devils goalie Chris Terreri supported that notion by nailing a hole-in-one on Hole 13 at the New Jersey Chamber Challenge golf outing at The Bedens Brook Club in Skillman on May 16.
Terreri, who played the NJ Chamber Challenge with a group from RWJ Barnabas Health, must have struck the ball magnificently. He said other members of his foursome almost immediately remarked, "That ball is going in." Then he watched as the ball bounced once, rolled about ten feet and then - one of golf's most gorgeous sights - it disappeared into the hole.
It was the first ever hole-in-one in the history of the N.J. Chamber Challenge. It also was Terreri's first-ever hole-in-one. He said he has come close previously, including a heartbreaking drive in which the ball bounced off the side of the tin and into a sand trap.
Needless to say, Terreri won 'closest to the pin' on Hole 13, and he helped his foursome - his teammates were Lou Lasalle, Larry Londino and Byron Yake - capture third place in the team net category.
That was one of the highlights of the NJ Chamber Challenge, where business leaders ply their skills on 18 holes at the elegant Bedens Brook Club.
While awards were presented to the top performing foursomes, it was the networking that took place at pre-golf brunch, on the course and finally at a post-golf dinner reception - attended by New Jersey Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean Jr.- that made the day a success.
"This was a great way to get to know each other better and to network with people representing diverse interests," said Tom Bracken, president and CEO of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce.
James Benton, the director of the New Jersey Petroleum Council who served as chairman of this year's NJ Chamber Challenge, said the event has grown into one of the state's best golf outings, as evidenced by how quickly slots sold out.
Each participant received a series of gifts including an umbrella, a baseball cap, a golf shirt and a wood framed photo of his or her foursome as a keepsake.
The Chamber Challenge trophy etched with the names of each year's champions, remains on permanent display at the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce headquarters in Trenton.
The winning team in the 'lowest gross' category was Nina Anuario, Mark Tasy, John McDonough and Steve Toal, representing OceanFirst Bank.
The winning team in the 'lowest net' category was Jim Schulz, Leslie Hayling, Terry Sawyer and Glenn Smeraglio, representing the New Jersey Dental Association.
A special thank you to Investors Bank, the golf outing's premier sponsor. Additional thanks to event sponsors Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Verizon.
For photos from the event, click on an image below:
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