All eyes are on the putt Seth Williams rolled toward the hole. It just missed by an inch. Watching with keen interest were sisters Samantha Williams, Stephanie (Williams) Radloff, and brother-in-law Gary Radloff.
It was jacket weather on Sunday, October 7, but that didn’t stop 64 hearty golfers from competing in the 17th annual North Shore Health Care Foundation golf tournament held at Superior National at Lutsen Golf Course.
And while the word “competing” might be too strong to use for some of the people playing, all of the golfers on the course were there for fun and for a good cause, to raise money for the North Shore Health Care Foundation.
One foursome played with “Tiger-like” force for a while—Sawtooth Mountain Clinic’s Dr. Michael Sampson, Ralph Larsen, Myra Schmidt and Lisa Zaller got two eagles in three holes. Following a fabulous drive from Sampson, Larsen knocked one in from about 90 yards out and one hole later Schmidt hit one in the cup from about 80 yards out. One could hear the shouts of joy and laugher from many holes away when the second eagle went in on Canyon hole 9.
Overall the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic placed second in the mixed foursome division.
Above: Andy Smith, Paul Nelson and Sue Hansen are shown here with the over 60 Elite Division champions. Standing next to Sue are Gene Utecht, Russ Baker, Tom Wentworth and Mike Jerabek. Smith, Nelson and Hansen were part of a larger team of volunteers who helped make the fundraiser a huge success.
“Preliminary results look like we will net about $16,500, up several thousand dollars from last year,” said Karl Hansen, executive director for the North Shore Health Care Foundation.
The foundation also supports its mission through grants, such as the $18,750 it received in 2012 for its work with the Care Partners program and the Oral Health program.
To date over $487,174 in grants has been awarded to qualified North Shore health care providers by NSHCF.
Hansen said team registrations were down from last year, but sponsors and donations were up significantly.
While the course was in beautiful shape with plenty of fall colors still decorating the landscape, the golfers’ hands did get cold. But the smiles on their faces were warm and the boisterous cheers for their friends and rivals even more heartwarming.
“There is a lot of good-natured rivalry out there,” noted Hansen, adding, “I want to give a special thanks to the new tournament director, Dori Betts, board president and golf committee chair John Bottger, and board member and golfer Bob Fenwick.
Left: Superior National Assistant Pro Andy Smith shows off the form that helped him win the state assistant golf professional championship recently held in Duluth. Smith helped with the North Shore Health Care Golf Tournament on October 7, hitting tee shots for people on a difficult hole in the Canyon section of the golf course.
“A huge number of others make it happen by volunteering or donation. This tournament is about so much more than golf….It is the vehicle that enables the North Shore Health Care Foundation to continue to benefit health care for those who live, work and visit in Cook County.”
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