Another outstanding idea for a golf tournament is an accurate description of the Charlie’s Heroes Scramble at the Augusta Country Club on Monday.

A scramble being a great idea for golf? In this case, definitely.

This scramble is open to first responders, at no cost to them. The entire event is being promoted by the Maine State Golf Association and sponsored by Charlie’s, which is a large new and used car dealership based in Augusta.

Eligible to participate in the scramble: Paramedics, police officers, firefighters and hospital workers, along with any other forms of first responders.

This is a way to pay tribute to all of them, particularly in 2021, with all of the things happening in the United States.

After the scramble, there will be a meal and a golf trick-shot exhibition by Dennis Walters, who is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Walters has done this a long time, and is well-known in golf circles for his shot trickery.

“Dave Soucy, general manager of the Augusta Country Club came up with the idea,” said Brian Bickford, executive director of the MSGA.”

Soucy said he has wanted to do this type of event for some time, and this year everything fell together.

A three-way golf relationship is the key ingredient in this “heroes” event. Charlie’s has become one of Maine’s great golf sponsors, and the MSGA is appreciative of the Charlie’s participation. Greater August, meanwhile, has embraced golf in many ways.

“When the three organizations get together,” Bickford said of Charlie’s, the MSGA and greater Augusta, “we can really move the needle.”

An extremely positive golf needle, very definitely has been moved. Kudos to those folks.

*****

The MSGA has announced its annual scholarship recipients, with students from all 16 counties receiving them.

Area winners include William Crosby of Edward Little, who is enrolling at the University of Maine; Drew Delaney of Spruce Mountain (University of Maine); Albert Doughty IV of Gray-New Gloucester (University of Maine); Morghan Dutil of Leavitt (Husson University); and Neil Larochelle III of Lisbon (University of Maine at Farmington).

*****

The MSGA schedule for the coming week is men’s play days Aug. 20-21 at Wilson Lake and women’s play days Aug. 17 at Dutch Elm and Rockland. The men and women have the “Maine Event” Aug. 17-18 at Waterville. The junior tour has completed its season.

Bill Kennedy, a retired New Jersey golf writer and editor now residing on Thompson Lake in Otisfield, is in his ninth season as Sun Journal golf columnist. 

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