Classic teeing up for big swing
Organizers hoping golf event’s sixth year will be its best
The Bella Vista Charity Classic is fast becoming known as one of the area’s premier events — and not just because of the quality of golf it brings to this corner of northwest Arkansas.
This year’s event, which runs May 20-28, hopes to follow the success enjoyed by last year’s classic, which featured not only some very good and exciting golf, but also some big donations to several area organizations.
“This is a true community tournament that gives back to charity,” Bella Vista Property Owners Association Director of
Golf Operations Darryl Muldoon said. “We have amazing volunteers and amazing staff to make this happen. And the membership is patient for that week because we do have to close courses for the tournament and we have to close the driving ranges because (the pros) use a different golf ball and that way they can practice with a tour ball and get used to that.”
This is the sixth year for the APT (men) and third for the WAPT (women) to be participating in the Bella Vista Charity Classic.
Last year the event, featuring the Pro-Am Party and Pro-Am Tournament, brought in sponsor revenue of $110,000 with net proceeds of more than $45,000. A total of $42,000 in grants was donated to five local organizations: the Boys and Girls Club of Benton County; the Bella Vista Courtesy Van; Bella Vista Community TV; the Bella Vista Animal Shelter; and the Rotary Club of Bella Vista.
Charitable donations have reached over $160,000 in the fiveyear history of the event.
This year’s schedule opens with preview bidding for items in the Silent Auction at the Bella Vista Bar and Grill on Friday-Sunday, May 20-22. The Pro-Am Party and Silent Auction will be held on Monday, May 23, at Lakepoint Restaurant. The Silent Auction is only for amateur players holding tickets to the Pro-Am Party.
The action on the links begins on Tuesday, May 24, with the ProAm Tournament.
“The Pro-Am Tournament is very unique,” said Muldoon. “We will be playing fivesomes with
three amateurs, one female pro and one male pro. The three amateurs will scramble and can use either drive of the male or female pro at any time. They’ll scramble from that ball on in. If the scramble does not beat the pro, they’ll write down the pro’s score. They call it a Texas Scramble, and we’ve changed it up a little bit. Having the male and female pro on their team supporting them … man, it’s crazy how far they can hit the ball. And they’re playing in their own skins game, so they get very aggressive. They’ll throw some low numbers out there which is pretty fun.”
Muldoon said the ProAm Tournament will be limited to 60 teams. As of April 29, the field was up to 52 teams. The tournament will be played on the Highlands and Country Club courses and the entry deadline is Friday, May 20.
He also said the number of teams/players is limited due to assignment of many teams to the tournament sponsors and entries will be accepted on a first-come-with-payment basis.
A long-drive contest will be held at Highlands after the Pro-Am Tournament at approximately 6 p.m. Muldoon said the contest, which is free to the public, will be held on the No. 1 fairway, making the deck at Highlands Pub and Patio an ideal place for spectators to watch.
The WAPT/ATP Professional Tournaments will start on Wednesday, May 25, on the Highlands and Country Club courses and continue the next day on those two locations.
Muldoon said 97 ladies had signed up for the WAPT Tournament as of April 29.
“That can fluctuate,” he said. “If anybody qualifies for the Symetra Tour (the next level up, just below the LPGA Tour) the week before things can change a little bit.”
The head count for the men thus far is 58.
“That will get to 130,” said Muldoon, “but the guys are always a little late signing up because they’re on the road and literally one putt means they jump up to the Korn Ferry Tour (the next level up, just below the PGA Tour) and they get to play in a qualifier.”
He added, “If someone makes a putt on Saturday he could be in the tour event on TV that following Wednesday. Sometimes it’s day to day. It’s a lot of stress, but they have fun. They’re good young people and we all enjoy having the tour here.”
Muldoon said it is “kind of unique” to have men and women playing in one tournament together on the same course for their respective titles, which is what will be happening in Bella Vista.
“The final two days, one’s on one course and the others are on the other course and then they flip them,” he said. “They mix them on the last day so you get to see the winners come in on both sides.”
Admission is free for spectators.
“All we do is tell them to stay on the cart path and be cognizant of what’s going on in the golf world and come watch it,” Muldoon said. “Being at Highlands, where they’ll be finishing up, we’ve got the Highlands Pub and Patio and I’m expecting it to be full out there on the deck looking over onto Hole No. 9 — one of the prettiest views in Bella Vista — and I think we’ll see a lot of our patrons sitting there cheering on good shots.”
Besides raising money for local organizations, the Bella Vista Charity Classic also affords local golf fans the opportunity to see professional ball strikers come to their neighborhood courses.
“I encourage membership and anyone in the area to come out and watch what’s going on on Friday and Saturday,” said Muldoon. “It’s free and it’s so much fun to see how well these men and women play. Come in and get yourself a spot on one of the decks and enjoy it. The weather looks like it’s going to be good so we’ll roll from there.”