On Thursday, June 3rd, the annual Hammer Awards were held at the The Big Chill. Joe Lucido was this year’s recipient. Joe has been working for the Carl M. Freeman Companies and Bayside for the past 6 years and is known for always going the extra mile for our clients and coworkers.

 Bill “Hammer” Hamilton was a guiding force for Bayside and the Carl M. Freeman Companies from 1999 to his death in late 2012. As the Director of Golf Operations, he worked with Jack Nicklaus and his team of architects to make the most of Bayside’s unique setting.

Hammer (left) with Bob Crowther (right).

Hammer took great pride in Bayside and strove to deliver the best possible experience for both members and visitors, stating: “The first thing we hope each player asks when finishing the round is, ‘What time can we play again tomorrow?’ … hopefully our visitors will be impressed by the challenge and variety of options, as well as the natural surroundings throughout the course.”

The Carl M. Freeman Companies instituted the “red jacket” as a tribute to Hammer’s love of the Masters and his beloved NC State, where he was a four-year letterman in golf and a lifelong Wolfpack fan.

Previous winners of the red jacket include:

Chris Veirs, Carl M. Freeman Companies, 2013
Valle Bonhag, Carl M. Freeman Companies, 2013
Rich Rishel, Carl M. Freeman Companies,  2014
Rachel Allen, Troon Golf and Carl M. Freeman Companies, 2014
Charles Tull, NV Homes, 2015
Matt Snyder, Sposato Landscaping, 2015
Gene Erway, Troon Golf 2016
Bob Crowther, Troon Golf, 2016
Jen Sliwa, Troon Golf, 2017
Doug Phillips, Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, 2018
Eric Hindes, Troon Golf, 2019

This year’s winner and the previous winner, Eric Hindes.

Congratulations to Joe Lucido for embodying the Hammer spirit and making Bayside a special place for all.