Erv Stein
As fortunate as we are to reside in our phenomenal PebbleCreek Community, it is most encouraging that many of our resident groups are passionate in giving back to less privileged area people in real need of support. Such has been the case as with our PebbleCreek Men’s Nine-Hole Golf Association (PCM9GA) golf group, which recently conducted a highly successful Member Guest Tournament on April 17. The event netted over $10,000 in proceeds for our own local Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Luke Air Force Base (AFB) chapter.
The Luke AFB MOAA community, a local charity and affiliate of the national Military Officers Association of America, provides needed financial support to our deprived, often homeless, elderly and disabled veterans, including food assistance to active-duty airmen and their families as well offering scholarships to local area high school seniors.
While about 144 highly charged golfers and participating member-guests enjoyed this exceptional tournament event, the major real benefits of this event were multifold in so many respects. For starters, a number of our PCM9GA board and committee staffers for several weeks worked tirelessly for weeks in contacting and gaining sponsorship and other gift donation commitments from many of our local business (medical, legal, retail, restaurants, etc.), which contributed to the $10,000+ charity funds raised for this worthy MOAA chapter. Likewise, these key event sponsors benefit from the timely and favorable publicity not only to our PCM9GA golfers and guests via banners, signs, a slideshow, favors, and other handouts, but also valuable recognition from over 10,000 PebbleCreek residents—clearly a win-win situation.
The actual tournament was conducted in a Scramble Format under quite temperate weather conditions with four flights—the Alpha, Beta, Charlie, and Delta Flights—utilizing the Tuscany East Course. Once again, our planning staff added so much more excitement with not only the usual “Closest to the Pin” and “Longest Putt” contests and even a “Closest Drive” to a line in the fairway contest. Each foursome was allowed to purchase a “Mulligan” for each team member, which added a further fun factor to the event. Also contributing to the intrigue were two “Hole-in-One” contests that resulted in a couple of close calls but no lucky winners.
As for the results, kudos to the first place winners as follows:
Alpha Flight: John Craven, John Mazzukelly, Bill Hill, Joe Oliver (-9 to Par Net, Net Total 27)
Beta Flight: Ray Clements, Gary Houser, Dany Brown, Bill Marcum (-12 to Par Net, Net Total 24)
Charlie Flight: Dale Knudson, James Stahl, Alan McCormick, Mike McDowell (-10 to Par Net, Net Total 26)
Delta Flight: Casy Jones, Jerry Matousek, Will Bradshaw, Jon Fritz (-10 to Par Net, Net Total 26)
Following the event, all participants as well as invited guests and sponsors participated in an awesome banquet with an outstanding buffet menu. Once again, great enthusiasm prevailed throughout with raffle ticket winners to include a 75-inch TV donated by Spencers, a $500 Nordstrom gift certificate, and many other valuable prizes and gifts. Photos were taken of event winners and our valued sponsors. During the banquet, a Silent Auction consisting of unique and unusual items was conducted that netted an additional few thousand dollars to the total event charity proceeds. All and all, this PCM9GA charity event was truly a smashing success. Hats off to our sponsors, PCM9GA staffers for their tireless planning efforts, MOAA staff members for their contributions, and last but not least our PebbleCreek Golf Pros who likewise assisted.