MSU President's column for Traill County Tribune
May 2, 2015
Annual golf events provide social and fund-raising opportunities
The second weekend in June marks the 40th annual Mayville State University Golf Classic. Activities are planned for June 12 and 13 in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. The Mayville State Golf Classic is the oldest medal play university golf tournament in the world. “The Classic” has become a gathering place for golfers and non-golfers alike. Mayville State alumni and friends from all over the country make Detroit Lakes their destination each year for a reunion with family and friends.
Activities begin at 10:00 a.m. on Friday morning, June 12, with a four-person scramble at Forest Hills Golf & RV Resort. This event is being organized by the Mayville State University Comet Athletic Club, and proceeds will go to athletic scholarships for Mayville State student athletes. Both men and women are encouraged to play. This event will feature a hole-in-one contest. Those who participate will have an opportunity to win $10,000 for themselves, and $10,000 for Mayville State!
On Friday evening, Mayville State alumni and friends will gather at the Detroit Country Club dining room at 6:30 p.m. for a scholarship event and social.
The main golfing event is planned for Saturday, June 13 at the Detroit Country Club Pine-To-Palm Course. Start time for the tournament will depend on the number of golfers who register. If 90 golfers pre-register, shotgun start will be at 9 a.m. If the number who pre-register is under 90, the start time will be 1 p.m. Because the start time depends on the number of golfers who will play, the registration deadline is Friday, May 29. This will give organizers time to get in touch with everyone who has registered and let them know of the official start time.
Also on Saturday, there will be a luncheon for all Mayville State women. The event will be held at the Speak Easy in Detroit Lakes, beginning at 11:00 a.m. The gathering will take place on the patio area, and it will be a no host lunch from the menu. Those who are interested should RSVP to beth.swenson@mayvillestate.edu by June 5.
The Mayville State Golf Classic has been of great benefit to Mayville State University over the years, as thousands of scholarship dollars, academic and athletic, have been donated to students pursuing their educational goals at Mayville State. In addition, the tournament has served as a place where Mayville State alumni and friends can meet and renew acquaintances. Year after year, people from near and far make the “Classic” their meeting place. For more information, including registration materials, go to www.mayvillestate.edu/golfclassic.
Gene Gaffney of Detroit Lakes is serving as the tournament manager again this year. He has been involved with the MSU Golf Classic since its inception in 1976. Paul Maltrud served in the role of manager from 1976 until just a few years ago. Others who are assisting again this year, as they have for years, are Del Hultgren and Dennis Hopman. Many others, including Curt Almlie, Jerome Berg, Harvey McMullen, Butch Lovas, Jim Hedstrom, Broc Lietz, and others have also assisted in various ways over the years.
We are truly grateful to all who have organized, worked, and helped to make this important activity happen each year. We are equally grateful to the many Mayville State alumni and friends who spend the second weekend of June each year in Detroit Lakes participating in the fun and festivities of the annual Mayville State University Golf Classic.
Golf enthusiasts will have another opportunity to play in support of Mayville State in July. The Comet Athletic Club will sponsor the sixth annual Harvey McMullen Open, formerly known as the North Valley (Hoople)-Comet Connection, Friday, July 10 at the Mayville Golf Course. Harvey, a Mayville State icon, is a native of Hoople, N.D., and was one of the original organizers of the annual event, which from time to time has been held in Mayville and in the northern Red River Valley. To register for the four-person scramble, go to www.mayvillestate.edu/mcmullenopen or contact Mike Moore at 701-788-4706. Proceeds from this tournament go to the general athletic scholarship fund.
The Around the Horn Golf Classic to benefit baseball at Mayville State is scheduled for August 7 at the Mayville Golf Course. You can find more information about it at www.mayvillestate.edu/aroundthehorn.
We’d love to have you join in the fun of these golfing events for Mayville State alumni and friends. For more information on each of these opportunities, go to www.mayvillestate.edu or contact the MSU Foundation at 701-788-4750.