Yosemite Lions Club Golf Tournament 2010

On a perfect late summer day in Yosemite National Park, the Yosemite Lions Club hosted the 18th annual fundraising Golf Tournament on the Wawona Golf Course at the Wawona Hotel.  On Saturday, September 11th, before golfers teed off on the nine hole course, tournament participants observed a moment of silence for Patriot Day.  This year's tournament attracted 37 golfers in 10 teams of four or less with raffle prizes, a barbecue dinner at the Wawona Hotel, a bag of free goodies at registration and a day of golfing in Yosemite National Park.  Raffle prizes also included the Wine Box Raffle.  Purchase a key for $1.00 to a locked box containing a fine bottle of wine (and one bottle of Scotch) for a chance to see if your key opens the box allowing you to keep the bottle inside.  In addition to the raffle, prizes were awarded to first, second and third place teams based on overall score, and individual golfers with the longest drive and closest drive to the pin.  The Pink Lady Prize was awarded to the team that could keep their pink golf ball in play the longest throughout the tournament.

Golfers register outside the Wawona Hotel Golf Shop

Golfer goodie bags

Lions Club members Mike and Kym, along with volunteer Terri, register golfers for the tournament

Lions Club members Patty, Alison and Michelle sell raffle tickets

Wawona Golf Shop Supervisor Sam and tournament participant Bill

The shotgun start allowed all 10 teams to start on the course at the same time.  The tournament requires two rounds of this nine hole course and rules of play were announced by Lions Club member Mike Osborne prior to the start.  Throughout the day, refreshments were available for purchase from the Lions Club via the refreshment cart that toured the course or the popular refreshment table at Hole Five.  Known as the "Hole Five Girls", Lions Club members and community volunteers serve refreshments and encouragement to parched and weary golfers midway through the course.  The only hole on the course where golfers will be lauded with the polite golf clap for their performance, Hole Five has become a tradition at the Lions Club Golf Tournament.

The historic Wawona Golf Course is an organic course in Yosemite National Park, also serving as important wetland habitat for wildlife as a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.  Opened in 1918, the course was designed by Walter G. Favarque to blend in with the Sierra Nevada landscape.  No pesticides are used in maintenance of the course and only gray water is utilized for watering.  Golfers of every skill level can enjoy the tranquil setting of this national park course.

Play continued for most teams until between 3:00 and 4:00 PM.  The barbecue dinner included with tournament registration is another summer tradition at the Wawona Hotel.  Every Saturday at 5:00 PM, the hotel staff serves hungry hikers and golfers a buffet style dinner that includes barbecue classics like ribs, watermelon, corn bread, beans and apple pie.  Thanks to the efforts of the Wawona Hotel staff, the Lions Club had a section of reserved tables for tournament participants to enjoy dinner and the prize raffle.

Lions Club member Sean purchases raffle tickets (or is that a bribe?!)

Yosemite Lions Club President Kym Wright Youngdale gave an update on the Lions Club's efforts in the community and the various projects they support, including Camp Pacifica, the Yosemite Valley and El Portal schools, and local junior college student scholarships.  Lions Club member Mike Osborne kicked off the prize giveaways by demonstrating a winning key at the Wine Box Raffle, which also included a 12 year aged bottle of Scotch donated by Stu Good.  Other raffle prizes included an OGIO golf club carrier bag, original artwork by Lions Club member Alison Grove, Wawona Golf Course jackets, photo albums, golf balls, and Yosemite souvenirs.  Tournament prizes included $50 DNC gift certificates for the first place team and $25 gift certificates for second place, the Pink Lady prize, the longest drive and the closest drive to the pin.
And the winners were:
Tournament First Place: Steve Morrelli, Ken Kerr, Richard Sischo and Bob Berkler  score 57
Tournament Second Place: Bill Carroll, Pat Carroll, Bob Blumrick and John Garner score 58
Longest Drive for Men: Michael Whaley
Longest Drive for Women: Cindy Bigalt
Closest to the Pin Drive for Men: Bob Blumreich 4 feet 7 inches
Closest to the Pin Drive for Women: Renae Rippentrop 47 feet 2 inches
Pink Lady Prize: Hank Barrett, Fred Cruz, Kristie Ratchford and Paul Ratchford
Most Indecent Amount of Raffle Prizes Won (Based on Whopping Number of Tickets Purchased): Bill and Guy

Most tournament participants won raffle prizes, but Hank Barrett walked off with the coveted golf club carrier bag valued at $250.00.  After all the prizes were distributed to their deserving recipients, dinner was served.  Everyone enjoyed the barbecue in the late afternoon sun after a day spent enjoying the great outdoors at Yosemite National Park.  Don't miss this fundraising (and fun!) event next September, when golfers can make a difference in the Yosemite community by supporting the Yosemite Lions Club and Yosemite National Park.  Together, the Wine Box raffle and refreshments for purchase raised $500, while the registration fees and raffle ticket sales accounted for the remaining $3500 for a grand total of $4000 in funds raised at the tournament this year.

Many thanks to all the tournament participants who made it a great day in Wawona for the Yosemite Lions Club.  Thanks to DNC partners and local businesses for their generous donations, including Impact Photographics, 4 Bare Feet, Aloe Up, Titleist, Budweiser and Valley First Credit Union.  Thanks to the Lions Club members whose efforts make the golf tournament happen every year.  Thanks to community volunteers Kelly Osborne, Julie Spence, Shani Spence, and Terri Tudela who assist the Lions Club with tournament tasks - Hole Five Girls Rule!  And extra special thanks to DNC staff members Debbie Hoffman of Group Services and the crew at the Wawona Hotel.  Without  General Manager Joe Alfano, Golf Shop Supervisor Sam Winstead and the rest of the dedicated hotel staff, the tournament would not be possible.  See you next year!