Arra, Moskow to be honored at Owl Club Golf Tournament

Date: 6/20/2013

WESTFIELD – Registration is now open for the seventh annual Owl Club Golf Tournament, which will take place on Aug. 5, at the Ranch Golf Club in Southwick.

The tournament offers a great chance to reunite with friends, teammates, alumni and coaches with all proceeds benefitting Westfield State Athletics.

This year, the tournament's guests of honor will be retiring coaches Ray Arra and Lisa Moskow.

"The tournament is our biggest fundraising event of the year," Dick Lenfest said. "It's wonderful how many alumni and sponsors come out to support our student athletes – we've sold out the event for four straight years. It will be great to celebrate the careers of coach Arra and coach Moskow – they have both done great work with their programs."

Moskow steps down after 18 years at the helm of the Westfield State cheerleaders. She started the competition cheering program, while also leading the football and basketball cheerleaders. Her teams traveled widely to compete in a variety of national championship events.

Arra set a school record by winning 187 baseball games over his nine years as head coach of the Owls, including three NCAA Tournament appearances in the last six years. Already a Westfield State Hall-of-Famer for his playing career at Westfield, Arra's coaching career has spanned 50 years at the college and high school level.

"The Owl Club Golf Tournament is one of the best days of the year," said Dave Caspole, assistant director of development, who serves as the tournament director. "We've had 75 to 100 alumni among our field of players each year, and we strive to make it a very fun day of golf out on the course."

Lenfest said, "Westfield Bank is again the lead sponsor of the tournament – the bank has been a great supporter of the university and our athletics programs over the years, and really helps us to maximize the support that we can give to each of our athletic teams." "Many of our players come back year after year to participate," Caspole added. "Some of the teams from the 1970s graduating classes bring four or five foursomes each year. We love to see all of our teams represented by their alumni and we have had everyone from graduates of the 1950s to current student athletes participate in the tournament."

"The Ranch is a great venue for the Owl Club Tournament," Caspole said. "The course has consistently been rated among the best courses in New England, and among the best courses with public access in the country by several golf magazines."

The tournament will be a scramble format, which allows golfers of all abilities to play in a fun and competitive setting. The tournament will include a variety of contests out on the course, and a putting contest. There are also raffle prizes and a 50/50 raffle. Tee time is noon. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m., with lunch served from 11 a.m. to noon.

The entry fee includes 18 holes of golf with a cart, lunch served on the course, and a buffet dinner and awards ceremony after the tournament. A cocktail hour will precede the dinner. Cost for a single player is $175. Those who are not golfers may consider attending the buffet dinner for $35.

Registration is available at www.westfieldalumni.org/owlgolf.

For more information on the tournament, or sponsorship opportunities, contact Caspole at 485-7358 or at dcaspole@westfield.ma.edu.