TRAVEL ADVISORS ENJOY ST ANN TOURNAMENT THAT ALSO PUSHES BENEFITS FOR AREA YOUTHS
OCHO RIOS, St Ann; Sept. 26, 2025 —
Jamaica is getting more business from golf enthusiasts as travel advisors who have a love for and knowledge of the sport continue to sell Jamaica as a golfing destination.
That’s according to Jake Coldiron National Manager of Golf Sales for Sandals Resorts.
He was speaking at an awards dinner at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort to mark the end of a weekend of golf at Upton Estate Golf & Country Club in St Ann, at the invitation of Sandals, for travel advisors from across the United States of America.
It was the 21st Annual United States Travel Advisor Golf Tournament, organized by Sandals, with travel advisors being the main participants. They were feted at a reception and dinner on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at Sandals Ochi.
(CHAMPS AGAIN: Jake Coldiron (left) shares lens time with, from left: Adam Anderson, David Schutz, Gary Sadler (Unique Vacations), David Anderson and Jeremy Lee)
Speaking to the North Coast Times after the dinner and awards ceremony, Mr Coldiron said the tournament was now more competitive than in earlier years. He said he was seeing travel advisors who have learnt the game of golf better, and who had the skills in golf rather than just an interest, as in its earlier days. He said Sandals was reaping rewards with more business coming from golfers. “The needle is moving in the right direction and people (travel advisors) are getting more involved with the game of golf and helping drive business to Jamaica,” he said.
Jamaican youth are also benefitting from the tournaments through the associated fundraising activities. The 21st tournament raised US$2,025 towards the local Care for Kids Golf Programme sponsored through Sandals Foundation. The Care for Kids Programme provides weekly golf lessons for young people who sign up from communities surrounding the Upton Golf Course.
(Jake Coldiron (left) and Gary Sadler (4th left) acknowledge the runner-up team of Bruce Bentley, Daryl Hubbard, Brad Beckman and Pete Drab)
Jonathan Newmam, Director of Golf Operations, who has been working with the Programme at Sandals for more than three years, says the programme is to help develop character among the young as much as it is about golf. “Regardless of whether they become golf professionals, what’s more important to us is the life lessons they are learning through the game of golf — discipline, patience, honesty, time management …that we believe will be instrumental in shaping the next generation of this country,” He said
(Karen Mohror Winner Ladies Closest to the Pin is congratulated by Jake Coliron and Gary Sadler)
Gary Sadler, Vice President of Unique Vacations, also praised Sandals Foundation and the Care for Kids Golf Programme, which he said had made golf available to people for whom it would otherwise have been a pipe dream.
Mr Sadler spoke to the travel advisors about the benefits to be derived from a partnership with Sandals. He said Sandals continued to give the highest commissions, Sandals Resorts continued to run promotions and continued to enhance their products to give the advisors something excellent to sell. Mr Sadler said it was becoming even more important for the travel advisors to choose who their business partner was.
“If you keep remembering who your real partner is, then I think it will be the greatest opportunity for us to move forward,” Mr Sadler said.
Among the top awards were Most Honest Team Score (Team #13)
Ladies Closest to the Pin – Karen Mohror
Men Closest to the Pin — Harold Kelly
Champion Team – Team 1, Adam Anderson, David Anderson, David Schultz and Jeremy Lee.
Runners Up — Team #5, Pete Drab, Bob Beckman, Bruce Bentley and Daryl Hubbard
Adam Anderson, who was part of last year’s winning team that came out again on top, said, “We got lucky on the final day. It was an awesome experience.”
