Veterans Day Golf Tournament attracts 22 teams
Published 11:01 am Tuesday, November 28, 2017
AHOSKIE – American Legion Post 102 sponsored its first Veterans Day Golf Tournament on Nov. 11 at Beechwood Country Club.
Charles Williford, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army, Retired, headed up the event with planning and organization and Club Pro Steve Smart organized the teams and supervised the tournament. Commander of Post 102 James Hutchinson and his Legionnaires helped sign up teams and sponsors. Funds raised by the event will be used to help the American Legion baseball program and veterans.
Kenny Farmer (left) accepts the first place award for his team (sponsored by Bobby Beard) from Steve Smart, Club Pro at Beechwood.
There were twenty-two teams playing in the super ball tournament. Due to cold weather the start time was delayed until 12 noon, but the teams played through the windy, cold temperatures.
The winners were Robert “Bobby” Beard III’s team of Eddie Morris, Kenny Farmer, Barry Bagley and Dennis McClenney with a score of 59. The second place – Swamp Dragons – shot a 60, led by Tim Davis, Don Armstrong, Cecil Alston and Grayson Waterfield. Coming in third place was Hutch’s Raiders, they carded a 62 with Andy Lee, Petie Burden, John Brooks and Michael Hutchinson. The fourth place team, Jar Head and Crew, shot 64 and beat out the fifth place team, Desert Storm, with a playoff hole. Southern Bank’s team finished sixth after losing on a playoff hole.
Closest to the Pin winners were Ronnie Brown on Hole #5 and Jimmy Cotton on Hole #12.
All teams had at least one military veteran member.
The tournament started with a brief ceremony to honor all Veterans. Robin Bland sang the National Anthem and Steve Smart led a prayer for the players.
The Swamp Dragons (accepting are, from left, Cecil Alston and Tim Davis) receive the second place prize from Steve Smart.
The event ended that evening with a Veterans Day Golf Tournament Banquet to honor the tournament winners and all veterans. About 100 golfers, veterans and friends enjoyed a social time followed by a buffet dinner.
Post 102 Honor Guard posted the colors and Chris Chamblee gave a welcome followed by Lieutenant Colonel Williford and Commander Hutchinson. Club Pro Steve Smart presented the awards to the winning teams.
Lieutenant Colonel Williford acknowledged and honored veterans of World War II and the Korean War to include WWII Pearl Harbor survivor Cecil Taylor from Eure and Ed Copeland, Sr. from Winton.
Commander Robert E. Rawls, US Navy, retired, honored the Vietnam War veterans and the veterans of the Laotian Secret War.
Master Sergeant David Walther honored the Gulf War, Iraq War, and Afghanistan War veterans.
Members of the third-place team (Hutch’s Raiders) were, from left, Andy Lee, Petie Burden, and Michael Hutchinson. Not shown is John Brooks.
Sergeant Major Johnnie Farmer, US Army, retired, presented Certificates of Appreciation from Post 102 to Lieutenant Colonel Williford and Beechwood Country Club, which was accepted by Melvin Chamblee.
Lieutenant Colonel Williford said that this was a great and successful event for the first year, and he said that he expected this to be the First Annual Veterans Day Golf Tournament followed by many more.
The evening ended with Commander Hutchinson singing “God Bless America” and thanking everyone involved to include the sponsors, players, and Beechwood.