School of Continuing Studies hosts annual charity golf event

School of Continuing Studies graduate Mary Ramsey Evans and her husband, Chuck, look forward to April every year when the School of Continuing Studies Golf Tournament rolls around.

The SCS Alumni Association puts on the tournament to raise funds for its scholarships so that SCS students are able to receive quality educations.

"We wanted people who could not afford an SCS education to be able to," said Lin Koch, president of the SCS Alumni Association. "We decided that we would do this so that more people can come to the School of Continuing Studies."

Evans and her husband were gold sponsors this year and have been bronze sponsors for the last three years.

"[The tournament's] purpose is to aid SCS students who get within a few credits of graduation and simply run out of money," Evans wrote in an email. "Especially during these difficult economic times, we believe that this scholarship has a meaningful impact on the students chosen to receive it."

The fourth annual tournament was held April 11 at the Richmond Country Club. The SCS Alumni Association solicited friends and alumni from the community to gather the 104 participants, the highest number of golfers in the tournament to date.

A single player could play for $125 and a team of four for $500. Different levels of sponsorships ranged from a hole sponsor for $150 to a gold sponsor for $2,500.

The SCS Alumni Association has raised more than $30,000 in scholarship funds for SCS students since the first tournament and hopes to raise at least $10,000 more this year.

The day began with practice range balls and putting and driving contests. After lunch, team pictures were taken before the putting contest finals. The teams then played 18 holes of golf and concluded the tournament with an awards dinner.

Jill Hinton, the women's varsity golf coach, Richmond alumna and golf pro, led a golf clinic for the second successive year. Koch said the golfers had appreciated her tips, and Hinton said she had had fun as well.

Prizes were offered for raffles, such as a 47-inch flat screen TV, a weekend at a river house and a golf foursome at a country club. There were also raffles for wheelbarrows filled with beer, wine and spirits.

Contact reporter Sarah Craig at sarah.craig@richmond.edu.