The Mediocre Golf Association may have the market cornered when it comes to fun golf in Yellowknife but there's one tournament which eclipses them all.
And it was in fine form again this year, even with things being pared down due to Covid-19.
James McCarthy/NNSL photo
The annual Adlair Women's Charity Scramble took over the Yellowknife Golf Club on Aug. 15 with 14 teams of four ladies each doing their best to have a great time while raising as much money as possible for charity. This year's recipient of the proceeds was Robin's Nest, the charity named in honour of the late Robin Mercer-Sproule, who died this past May after a long battle with cancer.
Because Mercer-Sproule was an avid athlete, this year's theme was sports and many of the teams came decked out in their best uniforms or athletic-type clothing.
Toni Auge, who has been helping organize this event for many years, said even having the tournament this year was up in the air until early August.
“Up until about two weeks prior, we had no idea of what we would be doing,” she said. “We usually have our first meeting in January and another in May but there was still no word on what was happening.”
Once it was realized something could happen, Auge said the wheels began moving and it was Cole Marshall, the club's general manager and head pro, who jumped in the driver's seat.
“I just did what I could and I had less than two weeks to do it,” said Marshall. “It's been a tradition at the golf club for many years and I can remember an award being handed out in honour of my mom. It's been near and dear to my heart for a long time.”
The tournament is usually a shotgun start format, meaning each team begins at a pre-determined hole, but this year's format was much different. Nine holes were still played this year but every team teed off from the 10th hole and finished up at 18.
Scorecards were kept by each player but Auge said they were a mere formality.
“They were kept for draw prizes,” she said. “We didn't keep official scores this year.”
Some other changes this year included no caddy auction, which is one of the usual highlights of the tournament where men offer up their services to a team for the entire round, and no dinner afterward though there were burgers being cooked up for the players at the 18th hole.
There was a silent auction table as well as a “ticket to pick it” draw, where players would buy tickets and place them into a bucket of their choice correlating with the prize they wanted to win.
Auge said one of the highlights of the silent auction prizes was a set of Mercer-Sproule's clubs and her golf bag.
“That ended up being a big item,” she said.
The amount raised was confirmed on Thursday by Marshall with $7,000 going to Robin's Nest.
“We (knew) we won't get it to around $20,000 like we've given in the past but we're just happy to contribute something,” said Auge. “That's the important thing.”