Well, that didn’t take long, and it wasn’t much of a surprise, either.
The Women Fore Women Golf Tournament has officially sold out, with a full field of golfers already signed on to play in the fundraising event at the Hillcrest Golf Club on Saturday, Aug, 20.
The tournament has quickly become a must-do for players in the community, not only for good times and camaraderie on the course but also for the funds the tournament brings in for their scholarship program.
That’s what it’s all about, with thousands of dollars presented every year to young women moving on in their post-secondary education and sports careers.
“Every year it grows, not only with those attending, but those who support in the background as well,” said Hillcrest Golf Club manager Jasmine Cameron. “Our Hillcrest Ladies League really head this up, they go out and seek out the prizes, the partners and the sponsorship, and they also have several contacts they bring to the tournament. They’re pretty awesome in that regard.”
The tournament featured 100 participants and raised close to $7,000 in the fall of 2021, which gave organizers the opportunity to present a trio of athletes -- Mya Viczko, Malea Kletzel and Summer Okerstrom -- with $2,000 scholarships each this past spring.
That wouldn’t be possible without the support of the sponsors, the vast majority of whom were more than happy to step up and offer all sorts of interesting prizes for the day.
“We have some great things going on the holes, as well as lots of great prizes from supporters in the community,” Cameron said. “We hope to raise enough to cover three or four scholarships, so we’re hoping for another really good day.”
One of the most impressive factors of the tournament is how it grew despite launching during the pandemic. The first set of scholarships were presented in the summer of 2020 to Sage McCulloch, Madison Thul and Olivia Mowchenko, and a single scholarship went to Ava Vickzo in 2021.
“We really struggled to see if we were going to continue on with it during the pandemic, but these ladies did not want to see it drop off because it's such a good thing for the community,” Cameron said. “And it’s not a small amount, either, which goes to show how much work they put in.”
The good news is even though things are sold out, there’s still a waiting list and folks can sign on in case of last-minute cancellations.
The tournament format is pure fun. Players of all levels are welcome, and the event is played with two-player teams in a 6x3 format -- six holes of Texas scramble, six holes of alternate shot and six holes of best score.
The cost is $60 for Hillcrest members and $85 for non-members and includes a golf cart, meal and prizes. On-course prizes will include closest to the pin, longest drive, longest putt and closest-to-the-line prizes. There will also be a hole-in-one prize of a 2022 XT4 Cadillac from Murray GM.
To register and get on the waiting list, call the Hillcrest at (306) 693-1921.
