Sponsors sought for golf tournament

By Bob Bontempo, PGA, Special to The Reminder

The Western Massachusetts golf fraternity will honor the memory of a special person July 5 and 6 at Crestview Country Club in Agawam.

The first Roland Skole Memorial Junior Golf Championship will recognize the contributions made by Ronnie Skole as a great family man and civic and business leader. Ronnie passed away in 2000 after a courageous battle with cancer, survived by his wife, Laurie, five children and loving parents Allan and Anita Skole of Longmeadow.

For many years Ron Skole served as president of Chez Josef in Agawam and was a fine contributor to the community that he loved dearly. I had the privilege of working with Ronnie at Junior Golf Clinics at Twin Hills Country Club during the late 1960s, where I served as head professional, and his dad, Allan, ran the food and beverage division.

It is a personal honor for me to serve as tournament director for this inaugural event at Crestview and I thank the Crestview Board of Directors and professional David DiRico for their grand support.

We will need the support of the business community for we are offering six scholarships for college, valued at $500 each, to the boy and girl winners of each age bracket. A total of $1,000 in prizes will be awarded from the Crestview pro shop while these junior golfers will be treated to a continental breakfast and lunch each day on the course, and enjoy the superb awards banquet at nearby Chez Josef.

Families and friends of junior competitors will beinvited to a reception and join their juniors during the awards ceremony at Chez Josef.

The junior stars will be offered range balls for warm-up each day and will receive rule books and various tournament gifts as they arrive at the first tee opening day.

In the Masters tradition, the overall champion will be fitted to a blue blazer, the official color of the Jimmy Fund. Yes, all proceeds of this super junior event will be sent to the Dana-Farber Institute in Boston in memory of Ronnie Skole and with appreciation of the Skole family.

The junior championship promises to be the finest tournament for juniors in the history of western Massachusetts golf and is affectionately called the "Augusta National Junior Golf."

For additional information, or forms for sponsors or patrons, call Bob Bontempo at 695-2998 or write to Bob at PO Box 157 Granby, MA 01033.