YOUR AD HERE »

Craig Yahoos tee off for good cause Saturday

A plane drop hundreds of golf balls on the 18th hole to kick off the Yahoo Ball Drop and Golf Tournament.
David Tan/Staff

2018 Yahoo Golf Tournament results

• Men First Flight Gross Pat Grieve/Pete Heuer — 73 Gary Zulian/Moe Ortega — 76 Net Joe Brookshire/Shawn Brookshire — 65 Jarod Lowther/Mike Armstrong — 70 Second Flight Gross Curt Weiss/Dave Fleming — 81 Jack Virden/Jake Virden — 82 Net Dave Pike/Kirk McKey — 70 Dave Brookshire/Ryan Brookshire — 71 • Women Gross Jamie Eckroth/Lani Cleverly — 77 Pam Horn/Teressa White — 81 Net Anita Grieve/Jackie Heuer — 61 Helen Knez/Linda Showalter — 62

CRAIG – Fore!

The annual Yahoo Ball Drop and Golf Tournament on Saturday at Yampa Valley Golf Course was another hole-in-one kind of day for Boys & Girls Club of Craig and Craig Kiwanis Club.

An early morning drop-off of hundreds of golf balls by Mountain Air Spray across the 18th fairway determined the winners of the ball drop’s multitude of prizes. The white ball grand prize, four Denver Broncos tickets donated by Pete Pleasant, went to Ron Danner, while red ball grand prize winner Debbie Montgomery received $1,000 in cash and Spree Bucks.

Following that came the tourney itself. About 80 golfers came to participate in the tournament, according to Boys and Girls Club Director Dana Duran.

Duran said the money raised from the tournament is split between both organizations. The money is used to provide leadership programs for youths in the community. Boys & Girls Club has participated in the tournament for a few years now and on average the tournament usually raises $15,000.

The men’s first flight winners included leading duo Pat Grieve and Pete Heuer, and Gary Zulian and Moe Ortega in second for gross scores. First flight’s net winners were Joe and Shawn Brookshire and Jarod Lowther and Mike Armstrong.

The women’s flight was won by Jamie Eckroth and Lani Cleverly and Pam Horn and Teressa White in gross scores, with net totals going to Anita Grieve and Jackie Heuer and Helen Knez and Linda Showalter.

Jackie Heuer has been in the tourney since 2006, adding that she and her husband Pete like coming to YVGC because of the nature in the area. Golf courses in more metropolitan areas lack the wildlife, which she believes gives the Yampa Valley its special charm.

“You can see all kinds of animals here when you play,” Heuer said. “Elk, deer, wild birds … This is like a little oasis out here.”

The event began in the mid-2000s in honor of Jim Severson and fellow golfer Ralph Knez.

Julie Baker and Terri Jourgensen, Severson’s daughters, said their dad loved to play golf and was an active member of the community. The money that has been raised has also gone to scholarships, and the women of the Severson family are grateful so many golfers from the community have continued to support and participate in the tournament every year.

Gail Severson, Severson’s widow, said her husband loved golf so much that when he died, he requested to have his ashes spread across the golf course’s 15th hole.

“It was his favorite hole to play on,” Severson said. “He once saw a nest of bald eagles in a tree in one game, and it was one of his favorite memories on that hole.”


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Craig and Moffat County make the Craig Press’ work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.