Mother Nature cooperates with Vets’ tourney
There may have been some doubt about the weather for the fifth annual Memorial Weekend Veterans Golf Tournament at Mt. Huff Golf Course on May 26, but that didn’t deter almost 40 Plumas County veterans from showing up for a fun and relaxing day of comradeship, conversation, food and of course golf.
On the weekend set aside to honor those who died in the service of our country, the purpose of this tournament is to remember those that served and are still with us.
Tourney Coordinator David Smuts stressed that the growing success of the event is due to the generosity of many businesses, veterans groups and individuals from every community in the county.
This year, there were 37 sponsors/donors that made it possible to offer free driving range balls, free golf, free cart, free dinner, tee prizes and a door prize for every player.
A special thanks goes out to the Mt. Huff Golf Course for providing the venue, running the actual tournament, tallying the final scores and serving the dinner.
A special banner with all the sponsors and donors is hanging on the wall of the Mt. Huff clubhouse and will remain there for the season.
County Veterans Service Officer Jimmy LaPlante suggested, “If you play golf stop by Mt. Huff and play a round and while you’re there, check out all the folks that support our veterans.”
After a group photo, a few announcements, invocation and the playing of “Taps” in honor of lost comrades the teams were sent out to their respective starting tees.
The tourney began with a fairly low ceiling of clouds hanging over the lower end of Indian Valley, but within an hour or so the clouds began to lift, the sweaters and jackets came off, and a very comfortable day for golf was the result.
Knowing that there are some serious golfers attending, it was a wise decision by the organizers to have a four-man, best ball scramble format to give those that only play once a year (this tourney) a chance to compete for the cash winner prizes.
Cash prizes included $240 for first place, $160 for second place, and $100 for third place, plus two $100 prizes for closest to the hole on the eighth and 17th holes.
First place went to the team of Dick Grace, Don McConnell, Leo Sorosinski and Brian Joseph.
Second place team was Don Jones Jr., Steve James, Ralph Cote and John Kolb and the third place team was Tom Gossett, Dick Eck, Duane Austin and Jac Caselton.
Closest to the hole on the eighth was Jimmy LaPlante and closest to the hole on 17 was Ted Trafton.
There didn’t seem to be any doubt that whether your team was in the running or not, everyone that participated enjoyed a winning day.
