Golf tournament benefits city police

CAVE SPRINGS — Carts scrambled out of the staging area behind The Creeks parking area Friday afternoon in Cave Springs as flights of three golfers each headed to their assigned holes for the start of the Decatur Police Department Second Annual Golf Tournament.

The afternoon was perfect for a golf tournament, with clear blue skies, a light wind and temperature in the mid-80s. An eerie calm came over the clubhouse as each golfer reached his or her starting point, waiting for the signal to begin the event.

Five minutes after the golfers scrambled to their holes, Decatur Police Chief Steve Grizzle hit the siren and lights in his new patrol car to start the tournament.

A shotgun start is a common practice in golf tournaments like Decatur’s. This allows the players to start at the same time. If each flight had to start at the same hole, the first flight to tee off would finish before the last flight started to play. This method ensured players in the tournament would finish close to the same time.

Thirty-three area golfers participated in the one-day fundraiser to help the Decatur Police purchase much-needed equipment to aid in its fight to protect the public interest.

In 2019, Grizzle got the idea for having a police fundraising golf tournament from his father Steve, who started a similar tournament in Fort Smith several years ago. Casey Murray, general manager at The Creeks, helped Grizzle organize the first tournament and it was a resounding success, with everybody having a good time and good fellowship.

“This is the second year for this tournament,” said Murray. “I think we went up in numbers from last year, which is good. Tournaments are not easy to put on. You have to put a lot of time and effort into it and Steve has done a good job putting this together and we love having him. We are happy to help the Decatur Police Department.”

The first tournament proceeds were used to buy much-needed safety and law enforcement equipment such as spike strips which disable a car’s tires, thus ending police pursuits. Early this year, the Decatur Police Department received its first set of spike strips, purchased from funds received from the 2019 golf tournament.

One day after getting the strips, a Decatur officer tried to deploy them during a high-speed chase which started in Siloam Springs and continued on Arkansas Highway 59 through Gentry and into Decatur. The strips were deployed, but the car managed to avoid them. The suspects were caught when their car missed the curve on Arkansas 59 and Hill Avenue and crashed into a culvert next to Decatur Methodist Church.

Golfers were vying for a $50 prize for the closest to each of the 18 pins and the grand prize for the flight with the lowest score. Each golfer was able to buy mulligans (do-overs) to try for the closest to the hole prize.

Once the siren was sounded, the golfers teed off at their assigned holes. From that point, they played the full 18-hole course back to their original starting points.

After the last flight finished and returned to the clubhouse, the players sat down to a hearty meal while the scores were tabulated.

The flight consisting of James Festis, Gary Graves and Robert Peschol took the tournament title with a combined score of 55, 16 under the par 71 course.

Tournaments are not easy to put on. You have to put a lot of time and effort into it and Steve has done a good job putting this together, and we love having him. We are happy to help the Decatur Police Department.” — Casey Murray, general manager at The Creeks

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Robert Peschol’s tee shot launches the ball (right, center) toward the green during the 2020 Decatur Police Department Golf Tournament fundraiser at The Creeks in Cave Springs Friday afternoon. This golfer’s shot hit the green and rolled to within 10 feet of the pin.

A flight of three golfers waits just off of the cart path for another flight to clear the green ahead of them.

Jeanelle Simpson (right) checks in a flight of three golfers as Casey Murray, general manager of The Creeks, organizes scorecards prior to the start of the tournament.

Decatur police chief Steve Grizzle (center) gives participants last-minute instructions before the shotgun start of the tournament. Murray (center left) waits to hand out scorecards after Grizzle’s instructional speech.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Faye Gilbert, a longtime Decatur resident, keeps her eye on the ball as she gets ready to putt the ball towards the pin on one of the holes during the 2020 Decatur Police Department Golf Tournament fundraiser at the Creeks Golf Course in Cave Springs Friday.