Golf shot tourney scores for Kiwanis

Cal Allen, left, and Ed Fitzjarrell take their swings during the qualifying round. photo by Jim Mitchell Five years ago Bill Duehren asked the Kiwanis Club of Sisters to support a $1 Million Hole-In-One contest. He wanted the proceeds to be dedicated to construction of new Little League baseball fields in Sisters.

The membership approved the idea for a five-year run and Duehren added another chairmanship to his already busy Kiwanis schedule. He was also chairman of the annual golf tournament, the club's largest fund-raiser each year, and contributed heavily to other Kiwanis functions.

This year's "shootout" on July 31-August 2, was the final year of the five-year commitment. To date, with contributions from Ray's Food Place of about $7,000, the ball field fund is close to $35,000. With that commitment, work started on the ball field in June. The club will decide next October, the beginning of the Kiwanis year, whether to continue the contest and, if so, what to do with the proceeds.

All five events have been held at Aspen Lakes Golf Course. This year the weather was mostly clear and hot but golfers eyed threatening clouds over the Three Sisters during the semifinals. During the finals lightning bolts lit the sky to the east, but no rain fell at the course.

Logistically, the Hole-In-One contest format is relatively simple: For $1 a ball (no limit) golfers try to put a ball within three feet of a temporary hole set about 100 yards away. Doing so adds the golfer's name to the list of semifinalists. In fact, a golfer earns a shot in the semifinals each time his ball goes into the magic circle. Golfers are encouraged to qualify more than once.

The semifinals pitted 69 qualifiers against each other. The 10 golfers with the balls closest to the pin made it to the finals. Steve Post, from Sisters, rimmed the cup and ended up one foot, five inches from the pin for the best shot of the tournament. The 10th qualifier was 11 feet, 10 inches from the pin.

The finals were held on Aspen Lakes' 152-yard hole Number 8. Four additional cups were added to the green. Each pin qualified a golfer for a substantial prize: a 2004 Honda Element (sponsored by Bob Thomas of Bend), two Arctic Cat ATV's with trailer (sponsored by Central Oregon Workensport of Bend), a 2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Convertible (sponsored by Dave Hamilton of Bend), $40,000 and $1 million.

Both cash prizes were sponsored by the Sisters Kiwanis Community Service Foundation.

The finalists each took one shot at the five holes of the eighth green. No one won $1 million (or other major prizes) this year. However, there were consolation prizes.

Twenty-eight feet, two inches from the $1 million cup, Jason Adams gained first place and 18 holes of golf for four at Eagle Crest Resort, dinner for two at Niblick & Green's, a free wedge certificate, a finalist golf shirt -- and bragging rights.

This was Adams' first time in the Kiwanis tournament, but his second big golfing "event" in a week. On July 25, he won a 2004 BMW X5 SUV for a hole-in-one on Pronghorn's 17th hole.

Adams commented on the Kiwanis tournament: "It was a lot of fun," he said. "The different rounds -- qualifying, semifinals nearest to the pin, then the hole-in-one. It's more interesting than just hitting for hole-in-ones all day."

Second place went to Quay Richerson, followed by Steve Post, Cal Allen, Troy Payne, Greg Stoner, Jonathan Green, Rob Maynard, Ed Spencer and Jim Hatten. Steve Post thrilled the spectators (and himself), putting his shot between two of the big-prize flags, but it rolled on through to third place.

Tax-free contributions for the new ball field may be made to Sisters Kiwanis Community Service Foundation, PO Box 1296, Sisters, OR 97759.

Contributions of labor and materials are welcome. Contact Bill Duehren at 549-2012 or Tom Coffield, 549-2091.