Great Day of Golf for a Great Cause
The sun shone down on Watertown Country Club, and its warmth welcomed golfers from ten states to Maranatha Baptist University’s 18th Golf Classic. Exactly 133 participants came to play for a great cause, namely the Watertown Endowment, which helps provide for some “extras” beyond the budget lines for the faculty and staff of Maranatha Baptist University.
The cause hit home for sponsor Bob McKinney, an All-State owner in Oconomowoc, whose family of seven has a long association with MBU. “All of us went to school at Maranatha,” McKinney shared. “We believe in higher education, so we had the opportunity to present the University with a check for $1,000.” McKinney sponsored four holes-in-one, including a Pebble Beach vacation worth $11,000. Holz Chevrolet completed the hole-in-one sponsor list. In all, twenty-one organizations sponsored the event, and prize donors numbered forty-five. (Sponsors and donors are listed below).
Shotgun Start
Before the shotgun start at 9 a.m., small-talk centered on the camaraderie of the event, the love of the game, and the all-you-can eat food stations.
Rick Warren (MBU) started grilling brats at 9:00 a.m. “We’ve had people get food at 9:30 in the morning,” he said. The golfers and workers came hungry, evidently, eating close to 200 brats, 100 burgers, 120 pork and homemade applesauce sandwiches, and about 80 chicken sandwiches.
Both Bryan Nehls (United Electric), first timer to the Classic, and Brad Stas (United Electric), who has participated “ten or twelve times,” shared their thoughts on the day.
“This is probably one of the better days,” Stas said. “I’ve been through the really bad rain, so it’s nice to have sunny weather. I love it.” Nehls, who does a lot of electrical work at Maranatha, said that it was his “First time out with the boys.”
Local Brian Fisher (Starion Bank), also a first-timer, shared, “I’m looking forward to an enjoyable afternoon with some nice weather and good company, all for a good cause.”
Basic Strategy
Strategy for the Classic differed among the teams.
Brad Dunn, Tim Abney, and Darrell Beernink “intended to be serious” about the golf outing. “We’re not out here just fooling around,” Beernink said. “We’re here to really do well. We’re looking forward to it anxiously.”
Rob Thompson, Mike Burton, and Chuck Hannahs shared their plan for the round. “Shoot the lowest score possible and just have fun,” Thompson said. “I think it’s wide open without the repeat champions. It’s pretty much anybody’s tournament.”
David Anderson Sr, David Anderson Jr , Mark Zockoll, and Glenn Stahlman focused on the positive. “We’ve got a variety of players,” Anderson, Jr said. “Our strategy is to not hurt anybody with a golf ball today.”
Paul Roelke (The Alliance), Jeremy Yenser, and Scott Jones said, “Hit it straight, long, stay out of the water, stay out of the trees.”
When asked if there was a team to beat, Jones said, “Not us!”
Snarly made an appearance alongside his handler and biggest fan Dr. Bruce Meyer. Assessing Snarly’s golfing skills, Meyers said, “He has a great swing, even a hole-in-one on several holes, but I think he cheated. He prefers to be chauffeured, so he probably won’t drive off with the cart.”
The Heritage Singers sang a medley to close out the day’s event.
Jerry Anacker, Head Golf Professional of Watertown Country Club, shared his appreciation of MBU, stating, “We always enjoy having Maranatha’s group out here.”
Final Results
The results of the 18th Golf Classic were as follows: Champions: Matt Davis, Peter Wright, and Taylor Pill with a record-setting 17 under par; Putting: Herb Held, 5; Nate Hilburger: longest drive men under 50; Chad Blake: longest putt; Kayla File: longest drive for women; Kent DeLozier: longest drive men over 50; Peter Wright: closest to the pin on the second shot.
Take a look at the photos of the day.
Sponsors
Hole-In-One Sponsors
Allstate – McKinney Agency
Holz Chevrolet
Diamond Sponsor
Jackson Dawson Communications, Inc.
Platinum Sponsors
mk Cellular
WDS Construction
Trust Thermal Abatement
Gold Sponsors
Convenience Store Technologies
A&S Plumbing Inc.
Camp Chetek
Silver Sponsors
Area Dental Clinic
Avoca Bible Church
Family Dental
Maas Brothers Construction
Pioneer College Caterers
Starion Bank
TIG Distributing
Food & Beverage Sponsors
Piggly Wiggly
Pine Cone Restaurant
Wisconsin’s Wurst
Other Sponsors
Associated Bank
Community Baptist Church
Prize Donors
Advanced Family Dental
Allstate – McKinney Agency
Archie Monuments
Area Dental
Brown’s Shoe Fit Company
Camp CoBeAc
Chalet Restaurant
Charles David’s & Sons
Chicago Bears
Chicago Cubs
Clasen Quality Coatings
Dave’s Turf & Marine
Draeger’s Florist
El Mariachi Mexican
Restaurant
Evald Moulding
Eyewear Unlimited, Inc.
Gentle Hands Therapy
Green Bay Packers
Hayes Family Auto
Holz Motors
John Maxfield
Juhl Photography
Keck Furniture
Klecker’s Heating & Cooling
Kraemer Cheese
MBU Admissions Office
Mel’sGarage
Milwaukee Admirals
Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Wave
Minnesota Vikings
National Tire & Battery
Northside Auto
Oaks Golf Course
Papa Murphy’s
Pennzoil
Perkins Family Restaurant
Pioneer Catering
Rock River Pizza
Royal Printing
Vision Sporting Goods
Vogue Cleaners
Watertown Bowl 18
Watertown Country Club
Morningstar Golfers Club
National Tire and Battery
Northside Auto
Pennzoil
Perkin’s Family Restaurant
Pizza Hut
Rock River Pizza
Rocky Rococo
Royle Printing
Seven Up Bottling
Subway
Taco Bell
Vogue Cleaners
Walmart
Washington County GC
Watertown Bowl 18
Watertown Country Club
YMCA