The inaugrual Love Your Hub golf tournament kicks off Saturday at the Fallon Golf Course.
Hosted by the Fallon Food Hub, the tournament starts with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. with teams checking in at 9. All proceeds will benefit the food hub. The event will use a four-man nine-hole scramble format with a horse race taking place after. This differs from more traditional 18-hole scrambles.
“We kind of just had this idea about doing a nine-hole scramble,” said Kelli Kelly, interim executive director of the food hub. “Everyone does 18, and we’re like ‘let’s just do a short one.’”
A horse race is a two-person team event where both members hit a drive, then use the one they like best. Depending which shot is used, the players alternate who shoots first next. According to Kelly, they will play through the first four holes and eliminate the teams with the lowest scores until only one is left standing — as they are eliminated, golfers can stay and watch as the gallery.
“I would imagine that there’s going to be lots of smack talking as people are playing,” Kelly said. “It’s going to be fun.”
There will be prizes for first, second and third place as well as for the man and woman who get closest to the hole and hit the longest drive. The prizes will all be food related, such as salad bowls, serving trays and other items. There also will be gift card prizes for the drives and horse race.
Lunch will be provided to the teams, courtesy of Stone Soup, though spectators also can partake for $15. Kelly asks people wanting to buy the lunch notify her so she has an accurate number of diners to expect.
There also will be a 50/50 oddball contest — golfers have to put an egg-shaped ball and get as close to the hole as possible. Some non-golf activities also will be available for people who don’t golf but want to help support the food hub.
As of Friday, there still were openings for teams as well as hole sponsors. Kelly said they had 11 teams, but planned around a max of 16. She added people are welcome to sign up and can get forms at the golf course or by emailing fallonfoodhub@gmail.com or doskellys@gmail.com.
Kelly described the event as a last hurrah of the season. The tournament comes right before Daylight Savings Time ends and the regular golf season closes for the winter.
“We’re looking forward to it, it’s going to be a fun day,” Kelly said.
The Fallon Food Hub is a nonprofit that helps promote local farmers as well as encouraging and educating the community on buying local and eating seasonally. They have their storefront downtown and run the Center Street farmer’s market in the summer.