Mark Wehrman EBS GOLF COLUMNIST
I know it seems like we haven’t had much of a summer so far here in Big Sky, but there is still lots of golf to be played before you put away your clubs in exchange for skis. Below is a little bit of information about each of the upcoming tournaments we have here at Big Sky Golf Course that are open to the public.
The first tournament was the inaugural Vine & Dine 9 Hole Hangover Brunch and BBQ, a scramble on Sunday, Aug. 18. With a 9 a.m. shotgun start, players were paired with celebrities that were here to participate in our annual Vine & Dine event held at Big Sky Resort over the weekend.
Next up on our calendar is the Big Sky Open being played the weekend of Aug. 24-25. This tournament serves as the club championship for Big Sky GC. The cost is $50/player plus a $54/day green fee if you are not already a season pass holder or resort employee. The format is 18 holes of stroke play each day. The event will be flighted by player handicap with club champions being crowned in both the men’s and women’s divisions for both gross and net scores.
This tournament also acts as the qualifier for the Canyon Cup which is a “Ryder Cup” style event held in conjunction with Cottonwood Hills Golf Course in Bozeman. The Canyon Cup will be played over the weekend of Sept. 21-22. Call the pro shop at (406) 995-5780 to sign up.
On Sunday, Sept. 8,, the fifth annual West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation Golf Tournament will be played at Big Sky Resort GC. The tournament has a 10 a.m. shotgun start with a cost of $100/player. All profits from this event benefit the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization WYSEF. Held annually on the same Sunday in September each year, the format is a four person scramble with lots of different hole events and player gifts available. Signup can be completed by calling the West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation.
The annual Big Sky Chamber Fore-O-Six Golf Tournament is a fundraising golf scramble slated for Thursday, Sept. 12, with a noon shotgun start. All profits from this event will go to support the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce. Signup for this event can be done through our local Chamber of Commerce office. This event is one of the more popular tournaments of the year with a handsome purse payout of $1,000/team for both gross and net winners and a $500 prize for the second place teams in each division. This event is open to non-members of the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce.
On Saturday, Sept. 21, we will be holding the annual IceHouse Open, a four person scramble with a noon shotgun start. The cost is $100/player and all profits will go to benefit the Big Sky Skating and Hockey Association. There will be lots of hole events and the entry fee includes your 18 holes of golf, cart, practice balls and dinner to follow golf. Please call the pro shop to sign up.
Lastly, we have our Oktoberfest Ironman Open. This event is played on the Saturday of the last weekend the golf course is open for the season (Sept. 28). The format is a two person scramble played under the most difficult course setup possible. The cost is $75/player and includes your 18 holes of golf, cart, practice balls, awards, hole event prizes and authentic Oktoberfest dinner to follow golf. Sign up through the pro shop.
With a variety of events left on the schedule—single-, two- and four-player tournaments with different formats that are open to the public—there are still plenty of opportunities to enjoy a round of golf before the summer slips away.
Mark Wehrman is the Head Golf Professional at the Big Sky Resort Golf Course and has been awarded the PGA Horton Smith Award recognizing PGA Professionals who are model educators of PGA Golf Professionals.
