“A Better Shot”
at the Lemon Bay
Golf Club
84 GASPARILLA MAGAZINE • November/December • 2021
By T Michele Walker
B Mi h l W lk The year was 2008. Obama was elected
as the next president, the summer
Olympics were taking place in Beijing
and Yuko Fujii immigrated to the United
States from Japan with her three children
making their home in Rotonda, Florida.
“We moved from Japan, I believe it was
March of 2008, and we spent our fi rst
summer here at Lemon Bay. It has been a part
of our lives,” said Yui Fujii, who just graduated
last spring from The University of Florida with
a bachelor’s degree in Public Health.
“The Lemon Bay Golf Club and the ‘A
Better Shot’ program are like a home to me,”
explained Yui. “They’ve always been nice
to me and my family, so coming back each
summer and recognizing everybody that I
grew up with and where everybody knows
me and cares about me, it’s just been so
important for my family and me.”
Providing a hand up, not a hand out
In 1996 the founders of Lemon Bay Golf
Club wanted to reach out to the local
community in a meaningful way. Assistant
Golf Pro, Missy Eldridge, and club founder
John Kimpton (Kim) Honey created Lemon
Bay’s Junior Golf. Reaching out to the
community’s local youth, the program
offered and continues to offer professional
golf instruction for ages 5-18. The tuition is
$100 but no one has ever been turned away
because of lack of funds.
Now called “A Better Shot” to better refl ect
the commitment and core mission values,
the program has become a second home to
many girls and boys in the community. Golf
skills have always been viewed as a happy
side effect of the program, with golf’s core
values of integrity, honor, self-esteem and
respect the primary focus.
By T. Michele Walker
Photos by T .Michele Walker
& Caroline Clabaugh
A Better Shot campers: Isaiah, Amelia
Michael and Aidan Claussen with Hunter
and Savannah Pope.