Funny Business At Annual SWCC Golf Outing
SYRACUSE — Wednesday’s annual Syracuse Wawasee Chamber of Commerce Golf Outing was all fun and games, but the money raised should help the chamber with some serious business.
A total of 22 teams showed up at the outing hosted by Maxwelton Golf Club, an uptick from 18 teams registered for last year’s event.
“What we really have is a really great group of people — Lindsey Parker and Kim Strawbridge and others just did a bang-up job of putting this together. Jon Everingham was another one,” said SWCC President of the Board of Directors Denny Pressler. “Couldn’t have asked for better weather. Our attendance is up year after year — this was up about 10 to 15 percent over last year. So we’re really pleased with the turnout, and it’s a really good event, thanks to a lot of people.”
Pressler thanked a number of sponsors for making Wednesday’s outing possible, donating funds and prizes for the event. Main Channel Marine Team carded the lowest overall score at the tournament, while Cheryl Shook won the Ladies Longest Drive contest, Teage Minier was the Ladies Closest to the Pin winner, Steve Ross took home the Men’s Longest Drive Prize, and Doug Holtzclaw was the Men’s Closest to the Pin contest winner. The event also featured both a 50/50 and a raffle drawing, with Kayla Walker winning the former and Gabe Ritter collecting the latter.
Burnsworth Zollars Auto Group and Pro Wake Marine each sponsored hole-in-one contests, and No. 16 at Maxwelton featured a Golf Ball Cannon Shot Closest to the Hole contest as golfers were able to purchase a chance to shoot balls out of a compressed air gun more than 300 yards to the green, with Jacob Von Deylen and Joe Bellman standing by to supervise the unique opportunity. Galen Mast wound up taking the prize in that contest, launching his ball just 5 feet, 5 1/2 inches shy of the hole.
“A thank you to ‘Jake, the Golf Ball Cannon Man’ who enabled players to put their clubs away for one hole and shoot a golf ball with a compressed air cannon on a 350-yard hole with a $500 hole-in-one prize. The golf ball cannon was great fun for all and an event that will return next year,” Pressler said.
Pressler also gave thanks to Maxwelton for hosting the golf tournament and luncheon once more.
“They have been excellent hosts for this event and certainly were today. Just their support, the whole team,” he said. “Gene Rarick over here, the pro, has been fantastic, as have been the young ladies doing the hospitality part of it. They prepared a great brunch, so couldn’t ask for a better facility.”
There were smiles all around among participants, but the money raised at the event will also help the SWCC with its mission. The funds will help finance the chamber’s strategic plan for next year, explained Pressler.
“The money raised today will be added to the funds that will make our community a better place to live in, work in, play in and especially invest in,” he said.