Like many college basketball teams, the Memphis Tigers are on a preseason overseas tour. Penny Hardaway’s group is in the Dominican Republic visiting the Casa de Campo Resort, home to the No. 4 and No. 24 ranked golf courses on Golfweek’s Best 2023: Top 50 courses in Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands and Central America.
The team participated in some night golf at the resort, as reported by the Memphis Commercial-Appeal:
On one end of the specially designed after-dark driving range, Carl Cherenfant and Ashton Hardaway took turns showing off their golf swings Tuesday night.
A few tee boxes away – with the aroma of catered barbecue lingering and lilting reggae cover versions of “Titanium” and “New Kid In Town” playing softly – Nick Jourdain quietly displayed a powerful stroke, his glow-in-the-dark ball landing well beyond the closest neon-lighted markers.
Caleb Mills consistently peppered the greens, JJ Taylor was a good sport and coach Penny Hardaway even took a couple hacks as night fell on the Casa De Campo Resort in La Romana. That’s how Memphis basketball kicked off its weeklong exhibition tour of the Dominican Republic – with the first official team-bonding exercise since it recently began resembling a team.
“It’s just a bunch of cool guys (on this team),” said Jordan Brown, a 6-11 Louisiana transfer whose first practice at Memphis was July 29. “Having the opportunity to do something like this and just spend time with each other, grow closer with everybody, I think that’s gonna help out in the long run.”
The Tigers are going to play three games on the trip, including one against the Dominican Republic’s national team.
Memphis opens its 2023-24 regular season with games against Jackson State (Nov. 6), at Missouri (Nov. 10) and against Alabama State (Nov. 17).
Penny getting a couple swings in on the Casa de Campo night golf driving range.
Showing the guys how it’s done
https://t.co/Lr71alH7DV pic.twitter.com/pCC8nJ61qX
— Jason Munz (@munzly) August 2, 2023
Hardaway is going to miss all three games, however, as he serves a suspension over recruiting violations committed nearly two years ago.