3rd annual event to bring 120 golfers together to scramble

It’s tee time for Special Olympics Arizona. The Sedona Police Department will host its third annual Golf Scramble on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Oakcreek Country Club in the Village of Oak Creek. Registration opens at 7:30 a.m., with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. and play typically wrapping up around 1 p.m. followed by awards.

“Basically, it is a golf tournament and a scramble to raise money to benefit Special Olympics Arizona, so all the proceeds will go directly back to Special Olympics Arizona to help the athletes be able to participate in the sports and programming free of charge,” Special Olympics Arizona Law Enforcement Torch Run Coordinator Melissa Bremner said.

In a scramble, golfers play in teams of four. All four players hit a shot, the team decides which ball ended up in the best position, and everyone plays their next shot from that spot. The process repeats until the ball is holed. Because each stroke is effectively the group’s best attempt, scores tend to be low and the competition is tight.

“This year we’re going to switch it up … we’re going to actually do breakfast burritos with coffee, tea and fruits and pastries in the morning as people are registering” in place of a luncheon, Bremner said. “This way people can grab something to eat, maybe buy some raffle tickets to participate in the raffles, and then get onto the course.”

The event will feature a hole-in-one contest, along with awards for the first-, second- and third-place teams and additional awards for women’s longest drive, men’s longest drive and closest to the pin.

The hole-in-one prize has not been finalized, Bremner said, though she expects to offer a cash prize as they did last year.

Golfers can also buy raffle tickets when they check in.

“They’re usually things that have experiences, like Jeep tours for Sedona, hotel stays, things to go out to a nice restaurant and eat,” Bremner said. “We try to make little packages that have maybe a bottle of wine with an overnight stay and an excursion, or an overnight stay and a dinner.”

Sponsorships are still available, and several tiers are capped. Breakfast sponsorships run $1,500 and are limited to three, one of which is already taken. Event swag and golf cart sponsorships are $1,000 each, with the cart sponsorship limited to one. A score card sponsorship is $500, also limited to one. Banner and flag sponsorships are $295 each — 18 flag slots are available, and flag sponsors keep their hole flag, unframed, after the scramble. Tee sponsorships are $200 and unlimited.

Bremner said the department also welcomes in-kind donations for the raffle baskets, as well as straight contributions from people who would rather not take a sponsorship slot.

“Everyone has an amazing time, and whether they win or lose, they usually walk away having a great day, having a great time and looking forward to it the next year,” Bremner said. “So it’s just something that we’re trying to keep going, keep as an annual thing and just continue to build it bigger and better. Everything we do is for the athletes, so that’s our main driving factor. The more we can do for them, the better the experiences they can have within Special Olympics.”

Registration is now open: $600 per four-person team or $150 for individual golfers, and the fundraising goal this year is to fill all 120 golf spots.

“On top of the fact that you’re helping out an amazing organization and it allows thousands of athletes to participate in sports and programming free of charge,” Bremner said. “Oakcreek is an amazing course. It’s beautiful. The people that work there are an amazing group of people.”

Visit golfspd.givesmart.com for more information or, for questions, contact Bremner at 602-932-5625 or Melissa@SpecialOlympicsArizona.org.