Norm Ott
The 2016 Team Championship also known as the CRAB tournament and its pre-tournament auction were again a big success. A total of $13,562 was generated for the SunBird Golf Course capital fund. This tournament, which is a competition among the Canadians, Roadrunners, Americans and Bandits, is the only tournament of its kind where these teams compete against each other. Historically, the tournament was first born in 2008 and was known then as the Sand Trap Tournament. Its purpose was to generate funds to upgrade the course sand traps. Since that time, the tournament has evolved to become the Team Championship or better known as the CRAB tournament. A uniqueness of this tournament is that there is no prize money awarded to the players. The total money generated from both tournament entry fees and the auction goes directly to the golf course capital fund. Since its inception, the tournament has generated approximately $85,500. It should be noted that a significant portion of the first year’s Sand Trap Tournament proceeds of $17,000 came from adoptions of sand traps by individuals. The concept of the pre–tournament auction was started in earnest in 2013. To date, 46 percent of the total proceeds have come from the auction. This success is due by and large to the significant contribution of time and talent by SunBird’s resident auctioneer Joel Sybesma. Many thanks go to Joel and those who participate in preparing and running the auction.
The tournament results this year were extremely close. A total of 30 players from each team participated in the event. A player from each team was assigned to a foursome according to his or her handicap. At the end of the round the player with the lowest net score was awarded four points, second place three points, third place two points and highest net score one point. When all 30 cards are added up the team with the most points is declared the winner. The American team, players that do not belong to one of the other clubs for the second year in a row, won the championship and the associated bragging rights with a total of 77 points. The competition was very close with the Canadians and Bandits tied for second place with 76 points each. The Roadrunners finished last with 71 points. Congratulations to the American team.
Plans for the 2017 tournament are already underway. The tournament will be held on Saturday, November 18 and the auction on Friday, November 17.