THE FIRST EDITION of what is hoped becomes an annual event, the inaugural Mitch Black Memorial Golf Tournament, will be held at Port Ludlow Golf Course on Sunday, Sept. 13.
Black, a Chimacum High School history and physical education teacher until his retirement in 2005, founded the golf team at Chimacum and coached the team for 39 years before retiring after the 2015 season. He lived abroad for much of the year in his retirement and died suddenly in Thailand in late May.
I wrote about Black’s passing back in June in an article available at tinyurl.com/PDN-MitchBlack.
A scholarship fund in Black’s name was set up through The Friends of Chimacum Schools Education Foundation. Donations can be made in Black’s name at focsef.org.
“It is our goal to make this an annual event in an effort to keep the scholarship fund going for a long time,” said Marianne Walters of The Friends of Chimacum Schools.
The 18-hole event has a four-person scramble format. Tee times are likely to be in the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. range.
The cost is $100 per player, $400 per team, and includes green fees, cart use, lunch and on-course competitions.
Mulligans will be available for $5.
The tournament is organized by Jesse Best, a 2007 Chimacum High School alumnus whom Black coached for five seasons.
“They even let me play when I was in eighth grade,” Best said.
He decided to hold the benefit tournament to honor Black’s contributions to the community.
“Mitch was a character,” Best said. “He was a person who was inspiring. He was always so goods with kids. Mitch was a genuine human being who cared about the people he taught, coached and lived with here.”
Best said Black taught him about life and developing his character through the game of golf.
“He really had an influence on my life and I want to honor him in any way I can. He dedicated the majority of his life to helping the kids in our community and that’s something deserving of our support through charity.”
Best is actively seeking sponsors for the event and on-course competitions.
“I have event sponsorships, hole sponsorships and long drive and closest-to-the-hole sponsorships,” Best said.
He can be reached at 360-302-6002.
To register for the event, call Port Ludlow at 360-437-0272 or email Port Ludlow assistant pro Adam Barrows at abarrows@portludlowresort.com.
Barrows also was coached by Black at Chimacum.
PC Athletics tourney
The annual Pirate Athletics Golf Tournament, a fundraiser for Peninsula College athletic scholarships, will be held at The Cedars at Dungeness in Sequim on Saturday, Aug. 29.
The four-person scramble event has tee times beginning at 9 a.m.
Players can choose from a $100 green fee or a green fee plus player package which includes two mulligans and a putt for wine for $125 per person.
A meal voucher for 7 Cedars Casino’s 7 Brothers restaurant also is available.
Players will have a shot at splitting a $10,000 hole-in-one prize with the Pirate Athletic Association and Wilder Auto is sponsoring a shot at winning a car.
Sponsorships are available by emailing Peninsula men’s basketball head coach Donald Rollman at drollman@pencol.edu or by calling 360-417-6467.
To register for the golf tournament, visit pcgolf tournament.bpt.me.
Results, tee prizes, food and more will be offered at 7 Cedars Casino after the tournament.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-406-0674 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
