A Day of Camaraderie, Fun, and Friendly Competition on the Links

The Nueva Cup golf tournament was a new event added to the Nueva calendar in the 2008/2009 school year. The tournament was held on Monday, October 13, 2008 at Green Hills Country Club in Millbrae, just minutes from the Nueva campus. Fifty-six players on fourteen four-person teams teed off in near perfect conditions -- low 70s with the slightest of breezes -- and were treated to a challenging and enjoyable golf course. Green Hills CC, designed by Alister MacKenzie in 1929, is one of the finest course layouts in Northern California and was in immaculate condition.

Based on participant feedback, the inaugural Nueva Cup tournament was a great success. Mike Mengarelli, a Nueva parent and avid golfer, said, "The 2008 Nueva Cup was a quality golf event. It was a fun and friendly competition on a wonderful course in perfect weather -- all in all, a most enjoyable day".

Joey Donahue, another Nueva parent, said, "I only play golf a few times a year and from now on one of them will definitely be at the Nueva Cup. I had a blast this year and I've already started lining up my team for the 2009 tournament".

The tournament was organized by a committee led by Nueva parents. In planning the tournament, the committee had three primary objectives:

• Create an event open to the extended Nueva community that will endure over time
• Raise funds for the school
• Provide an opportunity for the Nueva community to have fun

Recognizing that the event should appeal to both the avid golfer and the occasional golfer, the committee organized the tournament as a four person team scramble -- a low pressure, yet competitive, format. In the scramble format, each team member hits a shot; the team picks the best one, and everyone hits his or her next shot from that location.  This procedure is followed until the ball is holed.  Because you are always picking the best shot of the foursome and playing from there, the team score is much better than any individual player would shoot.

A number of teams had a chance to win the tournament, with six of the fourteen teams scoring 65 or under. When the final tally was in, it was the team of Sam Bronfman, Michael de Anda, Jon Beizer, and Doug Koo who won the tournament with an outstanding score of 61. The winning team (pictured below holding the Nueva Cup -- click picture to enlarge), is the first to have their names etched on the Nueva Cup perpetual trophy, which is on display in the Nueva GCC trophy cabinet.

Second place, with a score of 63, was the team of Jack Bariteau, Paul Hegarty, Rick Holstrom, and Noel Perry. The other teams at 65 or better included the team of Rich Beames, Simon Mazzola, Bill Myers, and Brad Roberts, the team of Jason Chroman, Mike Mengarelli, Tony Salah, and Eric Wong, the team of Mike Fales, Steve Keller, Bob Thomsen and Norm Thomsen, and the team of John Marren, Kevin McClelland, Jack Van Sweden, and Walden Wassen.

The event included lunch before the tournament and a reception after the tournament, offering a great opportunity to catch up with other Nueva community members and friends. The reception was particularly lively with many "shot of the day" stories being shared.

Kevin McClelland, a new Nueva parent, said, "The Nueva Cup was a great opportunity, early in the school year, to meet other Nueva parents. I signed up as a single and the Tournament Committee took care of getting me into a great foursome. The timing in October was really perfect. I connected with some of the parents I had already met and also got to meet parents from other grades whom I might not otherwise have gotten a chance to meet. I would encourage all members of the Nueva community, and particularly new parents, to participate."

Jack Bariteau, a Nueva parent and avid golfer, summed up the sentiment at the reception by saying, "This is the start of an event that should benefit Nueva for years to come."
The success of the 1st Annual Nueva Cup was due to the hard work and support of a committed group of volunteers that included Judee Brasesco, Michael and Lucy de Anda, Terry and Melinda Earlywine, Steve Keller and Ellen Kubiak, Michael and Linda Jo McTeigue, and Norm and Jill Thomsen. Proceeds from the 2008 tournament were directed to the Nueva Athletics Program and to grounds improvement.  

The tournament committee is working on several enhancements for 2009. In addition to exploring additional fund-raising opportunities, such as a raffle and tee sponsorships, plans are underway for a special opportunity for tournament participants to improve their golf game. Nueva parent Michael McTeigue, who was formerly a teaching pro at the prestigious Bel Air and Riviera country clubs in southern California and was also formerly recognized as Northern California PGA Teacher of the Year, will be offering a "Short Game" clinic. This is another great example of the unique opportunities that our talented Nueva community has to offer. Participants who sign up by September 15 will receive complimentary registration to the clinic, which will take place the morning of the tournament.

The 4th Annual Nueva Cup is planned for September 30, 2011 and will be played at Green Hills Country Club. Parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends -- everyone is invited for a day of camaraderie, fun, and friendly competition benefiting Nueva. Register online today or you may contact the tournament committee for more information at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .