Adult-child golf tourney draws all ages

The Dan Sheff Memorial adult-child golf tourney last month saw 170 people and 90 teams play in an event that many mark on the family calendar each summer. “It, for some time, has rivaled our Club’s invitational for sheer numbers of players,” said Bill Manahan, golf pro and course manager. “We had players from 6 years old being the youngest, to over 85 for the oldest. Golf truly is a game that can be played for a lifetime.”

The Aug. 26-27 tournament format called for teams’ “best ball” score for the first nine holes, and then the much trickier “alternate shot” on the back nine. That’s when players take turns hitting the ball until the ball is put into the cup. Strategy is involved. On Sunday, the twosomes take the “best shot” and continue until holing out.

To shoot under par on Saturday takes some amazing play with not many errant shots or putts. Six twosomes either broke or tied the established course par of 71. New this year were “purple tees” for those 9 years old and under. They were advanced tees up the fairways on all holes, giving the younger folks a chance to contribute.

The names in the championship flight included many from the 100-year CCC history: McKay, McFarlane, Poppenberg, Stowell, Nelson, Young, Fiske and Dodd among them. Several from this grouping had won the event in years past. By far, however, the biggest family reunion was of the descendants of Harry and Shirley Lawrence. The Lawrence family all grew up just a few blocks from the Cloquet golf club and have since scattered in adulthood to the Twin Cities and other parts of Minnesota and the Midwest. But, for many years, family members make it a point to return to Cloquet for this special weekend event.

The championship team was Don and Anthony McKay, posting scores of 68-64 for a total of132. Tying for second with a score of 134 were Rick and Adam Stowell, Brian and Keegan Poppenberg, and Tom and Jack MacFarlane.

Other winners included:

First flight: John and Tony Marchio

Second flight: Steve and Nate Beckman

Third flight: Greg and Derek Schrecengost

Fourth flight: Paul Kapsner and Tanner Verstegen

Fifth flight: Kurt and Kyle Lawrence

Sixth flight: Shane and Rachel Morrison

Seventh flight: Dustin and Kailey Nelson

Eighth flight: Paul and Jack Gillund

Led by superintendent Jud Crist and his crew, the Cloquet course was in impeccable condition with greens running as fast as 10.2 on the stimpmeter.

When asked what he thought of his first adult-child tournament with his kids, CCC member Tom Pantsar said, “It was a blast!”