2024 Ozark Turf Association Holds Successful Fundraiser

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The Ozark Turf Association Scholarship and Research Fundraiser was a great success.  We had a record number of teams, beautiful weather and raised a possible record amount of money for our scholarship and research account.  While not final, we estimate we raised approximately $8,000.  We regularly give out $6,000 in scholarships and currently have $1,500 earmarked for a chapter cooperative research grant for research being conducted at the University of Arkansas.

Golfers were treated to the traditional taco buffet sponsored by Syngenta before heading out on the course.  Teams played scramble format with two putts maximum, and bogey was our friend.  Each team also had a mulligan per player. 

As we waited for scores to post, we were treated to hors d’oeuvres, also part of Syngenta’s sponsorship.  We also gave out 23 raffle prizes of pro shop gift cards donated by our vendors, with the list to follow at the end.  

Golf prizes were given out to the top three scores in three flights.

First prize in the Championship Flight with a score of  53, using their skill and local knowledge was Silo Ridge County Club Team 1 with director of golf Bryan Daniels, golf course superintendent, Ronnie Harman and members Brock Pitts and Marcus Falconmata

Second prize in the Championship Flight with a score of 54, was the team from VanWall Turf Equipment.  Team captain Richard Shumate, Brenton Daniels from VanWall, Adam Distler, superintendent at the Lodge of Four Seasons, with help from Chuck Ermisch, golf architect and Randy Robinson our GCSAA Field Rep. 

Third prize in the Championship Flight with a score of 56 was team Hidden Valley Golf Links, where superintendent Adam Camp and assistant Dustin “Duck” Buckner who had previously scouted the course, teamed up with Joe Mannuci, superintendent at Piney Valley and Jim Pyle, retired superintendent. 

A flight was won by SiteOne who shot a 60 with SiteOne team members, Eddie Roach Jr. CGCS, Andrew Jones, Jason Halley, along with DJ Schallenberger, superintendent at Porto Cima, as they took first place.

Second place in A flight also with a 60 was Silo Ridge C.C. team two lead by assistant pro Matt Jowers, and members Derek Kelly, Andy Routh, and Derral Cloyd.

Third place in A flight also with a 60 was team Professional Turf Products/Lake Valley Golf Club.  Brad Gray from PTP along with superintendent at Lake Valley Brad Seidt, and assistants Dale Harrison and Chris Smith completed the team.

First place in B flight was team FMC, with Ryan Madden, FMC territory manager, Jon Prange CGCS, superintendent at Highland Springs C.C., second assistant at Highland Springs, Christopher Berry, and Jed Spencer CGCS, territory manager from Harrell’s.  They shot a 65.

Second place in B flight also with a 65 was team Advanced Turf Solutions team 3, which consisted of ATS salesman Rob Ritchie with superintendent Kolby Armbruster, and assistants Andrew Mills and Clayton Oetting, all from Ledgestone Country Club.

Third place in B flight with a 66, was The Andersons team, consisting of Andersons representative Darrin Johnson, Justin Wilson superintendent at Cassville Golf Club and Channing Nielson, superintendent at Nevada Country Club, who all had to drag around Melvin Waldron, CGCS, superintendent at Horton Smith Golf Course, and still were able to finish in the money. 

Proximity prize winners were:

Long Drive on # 7 sponsored by FMC was won by Matt Jowers, assistant pro at Silo Ridge Country Club.

Closest to the pin on # 2 sponsored by GreensPro was Russel Cole of Kansas Golf and Turf.

Closest to the pin on # 5 sponsored by Ermisch Golf Design was Matt Meyer, head golf professional at Fremont Hills Country Club. 

Closest to the pin on # 11 sponsored by SiteOne was Barry Siems, owner of Precision Turf Products and Sile Ridge member. 

And a first since I’ve been involved, the Closest to the pin on # 17 sponsored by VanWall Turf Equipment was Sam Taylor, greens committee chair at Fremont Hills Country Club who had a hole in one.  Congratulations to Sam! 

Each player as part of their attendance was given a raffle ticket where we raffled off $25 gift cards.  This gave everyone a chance to win something regardless of their golf skills.  Company sponsors who provided the $25 gift cards:

  • Syngenta                                                       

  • SiteOne

  • BASF                                                             

  • Advanced Turf Solutions   

  • The Andersons                                             

  • Knox Fertilizer                                                         

  • Professional Turf Products                         

  • Precision Turf Products

  • Envu                                                              

  • Harrell’s

  • GreensPro                                                     

  • Midwest Turf

  • PBI Gordon                                                  

  • VanWall Turf Equipment               

  • Corteva                                                         

  • Turfwerks                                         

  • FMC                                                              

  • Nufarm

  • Kansas Golf and Turf                                  

  • Reinders

  • Ermisch Golf Design                   

  • GCSAA

  • Clear Creek Golf Car and Utility Vehicles

 We would like to thank Silo Ridge Country Club for their hospitality, all our sponsors who provided the funds to put on a fun event, and especially to our golfers who come play in this event year after year. 

Note to our members, scholarship applications are now live on the website, if you have a child or grandchild going to college, have them fill out our Karl Anderson Legacy Scholarship application.

Also, members, if you have college students on your crew at the golf course have them fill out the industry scholarship application, especially if they are attending school for turfgrass.

Once we get a date for next year, we’ll let you know so you can mark it on your calendars.