Annual Rotary Golf Tournament – March 11

 

Norm Noble

Six months of hard work will culminate on Sunday, March 11, when the Sun Lakes Rotary Club holds its 25th annual Charity Golf Tournament at the Oakwood Country Club. If you are reading about this for the first time, it’s probably too late to register and play. Chances are that all 45 foursomes are lined up and ready to play on Oakwood’s 27 pristine holes. But there’s always a chance that someone had to drop out. Contact Rotarian Don Bell at 612-396-0069 or Rotarian Peter Meade at 480-600-2458 to see if there is a place for you.

This tournament represents the club’s major fundraiser of the year, allowing it to support numerous charities in Chandler and around the world. To make the point, the club has given dictionaries to more than 48,000 third graders in CUSD; taught over 50,000 CUSD ninth graders that the choices they make now, good or bad, will affect their lives forever; given scholarships to high school seniors; taken underprivileged children on clothing shopping sprees and contributed more than $100,000 to eradicate polio worldwide. One hundred percent of the net proceeds from the tournament benefit these charities.

Following its success last year, there will be a Helicopter Golf Ball Drop just before the golfers head for their assigned holes. A helicopter will fly over the practice tee and drop numbered golf balls onto a green from an altitude of about 90 feet. The balls that are in the hole or closest to the hole are the winners. Like the tournament itself, this fun event is designed to raise money while giving the participants a chance to win some money.

It’s not too late to get in on the fun. Go to: http://sun-lakes-rotary-golf-ball-drop3.mybigcommerce.com/ and purchase golf balls. These balls will be assigned numbers based upon how many golf balls you purchase.

Once on the course, the golfers will be given two chances to drive their golf balls over 300 yards onto short par 4 holes. Few amateurs can drive balls that far, but most all can if they use a specially-designed bazooka. Once again, it’s fun and helps raise money for charity.

For Sun Lakes residents, if you want to know more about the club and/or the tournament, contact Charles Loew at 602-721-3680. SunBird residents should contact Walt Mills at 480-883-8007. The Sun Lakes Rotary Club meets for breakfast every Tuesday morning at 6:30 a.m. in the Oakwood Country Club Ballroom. The meetings start at 7:00 a.m. and end promptly at 8:00 a.m. Cost of breakfast is $13. To make reservations for any meeting, contact Peter Meade at 480-600-2458.