OTA Scholarship and Research Fundraiser a Success

The Ozark Turf Association Scholarship and Research Fundraiser hosted by Silo Ridge Country Club was a success. With a record number of participants, (101), we were able to raise over $7,000 dollars, with $6,000 earmarked for scholarships and the rest for funding OTA’s portion of the University of Arkansas research project that the OTA and other GCSAA affiliated chapters are supporting through the GCSAA Chapter Cooperative Research Program.

The weather was perfect as was the golf course, prepared by OTA member, golf course superintendent, Ronnie Harman and his crew. The traditional taco bar lunch with cookies and hors d’oeuvre served as scores were being tallied, was sponsored by Syngenta.

We would like to thank all of the following partners for sponsoring teams and tee signs.

Midwest Turf                                                 Precision Turf Products

Syngenta (2 teams)                                         SiteOne                                              

PBI Gordon                                                   Turfwerks                                                     

BASF                                                              Corteva

Knox Fertilizer                                              Advanced Turf Solutions

GreensPro                                                      Professional Turf Products       

envu                                                                The Andersons                                             

Kansas Golf and Turf                                   FMC (2 teams)

VanWall                                                          Nufarm

Reinders                                                         Redexim Turf Equipment

Clear Creek Golf Car and Utility Vehicles

Team winners were as followed:

First place in first flight, with a score of 55 and winning in a scorecard playoff was the Precision Turf Products team, consisting of Barry Siems, owner of Precision Turf Products, Mike Irvine, Golf Facility Manager for Springfield-Greene County Parks, Scott Welsh, Golf Superintendent, Bill and Payne Stewart Golf Course, and Josh Black, GM/Pro at Hail Ridge Golf Course.

Second place in first flight, also with a 55 was the VanWall team, consisting of Matt Strong, regional sales VanWall, Ryan McInerney, assistant superintendent at Carthage Golf Course, Tristen Donald, assistant superintendent at Old Kinderhook, and Hayden Eichelberger, superintendent at California Country Club.

Third place in first flight, with a score of 58, was the envu team, with Wes Kleffner, with envu, Kolby Armbruster, golf superintendent Ledgestone Country Club, Justin Thomas, (no, not that JT), superintendent at Top of The Rock, Big Cedar Lodge, and Craig Linson.

Hitting the sweet spot of second flight with all winning teams shooting 62, in first place was the Advanced Turf Solutions team of Austen Gearhart, territory manager for ATS, Maron Towes, superintendent at Schifferdecker Golf Course, Aaron Borland, current OTA Champion, and Eric Campbell.

Second place in second flight, taking advantage of home knowledge was the Silo Ridge team of superintendent Ronnie Harman and crew members Andy Routh, Derek Kelly, and Darrel Cloyd.

Third place in second flight was the Professional Turf Products team, which was basically the Lake Valley Golf Club team, with Brad Gray with Professional Turf Products, Brad Seidt golf course superintendent, Dale Harrison and Chris Smith, assistants, all at Lake Valley Golf Club.

The third flight teams had a score of 64 with first place going to the FMC Team 1 with Nathan Strait field operations coordinator with the Springfield Cardinals, Jeremy Thomas, superintendent at Indian Tree Golf Course, Cody Gray, superintendent at Carthage Golf Course, and Conner Antonetti, assistant superintendent, Hickory Hills Country Club.

Second place third flight was the Syngenta 1 team, of Paul Carlson, Syngenta represenitive, Ty Lewis, superintendent/GM at Mt. View Golf Course, Brian Bauer, superintendentn at Windmill Ridge Golf Course, and Travis Thompson, assistant superintendent at Margaritaville Resort

Third place in third flight, was FMC team 2 with Rob Ritchey with ATS, Matt Overton, superintendent and Joey Roberts, assitant superintendent at Holiday Hills Golf Club and Tony Tetrino.

Proximity winners were:

Closest to the Pin # 2 - Sponsored by Greens Pro - Justin Thomas

Closest to the Pin # 5 - Sponsored by SiteOne - Scott Welsh

Closest to the Pin # 11 - Sponsored by Cortiva - Loren Bernstein

Closest to the Pin # 17 - Sponsored by VanWall - Tyler Scroggins

Longest Drive # 7 - Sponsored by FMC - Hayden Eichelberger

Again, we thank Silo Ridge Country Club for being a wonderful host, all our sponsors who without their support we would not have a successful event, and to all our golfers who spend a day away from their facilities to support this worthy cause.