Hall of Fame golf tourney sells out fast
Tournament will be held on May 23 at The Quarry in Ennismore
The Quarry Golf Club has welcomed back the 37th annual Jack’s Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame Golf Tournament with open arms.
This year’s event on May 23 has already sold out all 240 spots, the fastest sellout to date, said tournament chair Doug Gibson, son of the event’s namesake Jack Gibson.
“The participants have been very loyal,” said Gibson. “Last year, we had extra groups, 272 golfers, because (former tournament chair) Bob McGillen passed away and a number of groups came from out of town to honour Bob. We knew we were likely to go back to 240. Talking to Kevin Carter and his crew at The Quarry, 240 is a good number for them.”
The Quarry hosted the tournament in 2021 and 2022 when COVID-19 restrictions kept the Peterborough Golf and Country Club from opening to nonmembers. Peterborough Golf and Country Club hosted the event in 2023.
“We had a very successful tournament last year at the Peterborough Golf and Country Club, but, for some reason, they decided they don’t want to handle our tournament,” Gibson said.
“It is the Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame, so we’re going to another golf course in the district. We had our tournament at The Quarry in the past during COVID when Kevin and his crew were able to help us out and we’re very thankful for that. We’re looking forward to another good tournament at The Quarry.”
He said golfers enjoyed The Quarry in past years.
“The Quarry offers a beautiful golf course. In talking to our participants, everyone was excited when we went to The Quarry to play. It’s a course maybe some of the guys hadn’t played in the past and they really enjoyed playing it. They have a beautiful clubhouse and outdoor area for us to have our reception,” said Gibson.
Carter, co-owner of The Quarry with Cara Rasmus, who has stepped up to fill her husband Keith Rasmus’s stake in the club after his death last year, said they host about 25 charity events a year and the Hall of Fame tournament is the largest.
“It’s for a great cause,” said Carter. “The Sports Hall of Fame is a great thing we do in this community, so we’re excited to have it. Doug does such a great job running the tournament he makes it easy on us.”
The tournament is the hall’s largest fundraiser and helps cover operating costs and four $2,000 bursaries for local student-athletes pursuing post-secondary education.
The event is a double-crossover team scramble format for the Bob McGillen Scramble Trophy.
Food sponsors include Tim Hortons (breakfast), FRANZ’S Meat Market/Porch & Pint (lunch), OK Tire (refreshments) with dinner sponsored by Darling Insurance/ Sentinel Risk Insurance Group, oncourse refreshments by 180 Peterborough and Jack’s “Thrill of the EX” (Nu Bodies Fitness). The social hour is sponsored by Peterborough Glass.
The proceeds of Jack’s Mulligans (two mulligans provided to each golfer) go to the Sports Hall of Fame in Memory of Jack Gibson who founded the tournament.
Hole in one prize sponsors include Trent Valley Honda, Merrett Home Hardware and Building Centre, One Eighty On Hunter and Tic Tac Dough prizes by RBC Dominion Securities. Other golf prizes include longest drive (Molson Breweries), closest to the pin (Assante Financial, Lucky Strike Bait Works and Peterborough Century 21 Lakers), long drive closest to the rope (Flannigan’s Butcher Shop), a putting contest (Ruttle Group Inc Financial Planning in Coordination with Canada Life), a kayak chipping contest (Peterborough Lakers) and Jack’s hidden treasure (Darling Insurance/Sentinel Risk Insurance Group).