Woodlawn holds 35th annual golf tournament

The Woodlawn Golf Course on Ramstein held its 35th annual golf tournament June 25 through 27 with 116 participants competing for the top spot.

The tournament consisted of three rounds, 54 holes, two closest-to-the-pin competitions, one longest-drive challenge, putting contest and a $100,000 shoot out on the final day.

“The tournament was great and improves every year,” said tournament director Derek Turner. “There were more players, more positive comments from players who said it was even better than last year.”

Even with a larger turn out, the event was still able to run in an efficient manner.

“I felt the tournament went well,” said PGA golfer Jason Shock. “It was professionally organized, results were posted rather quickly and user friendly, and daily preparations were readily available.”

The three-day event was put together by 39 members from WGC and 86th Services Squadron members who devoted a lot of time to ensure the tournament ran smoothly.

“The Woodlawn Open would not have happened if it were not for the entire staff that put in long hours, preparation and dedication to make the tournament a success,” Mr. Shock said.

This dedication was noticed by those who attended the event.

“There was a wonderful formal dinner to kick things off with prime rib, the honor guard and singing of the national anthems followed,” Mr. Turner said. “The Woodlawn staff ensured all the players were well taken care of.”

For the event team members, ensuring the golfers were taken care of allowed them to create a bond among the players.

“The camaraderie would be the thing that stood out to me the most,” Mr. Shock said. “The entire tournament was well organized from signing on guests the first day to presentations during of the final day.”

Aside from the camaraderie, the environment during the tournament was also very noticeable.

“There was an atmosphere with all the various players from all over Europe who created a buzz in the air,” Mr. Turner added. “The 18th green area became a large gallery with over 100 onlookers and a lot of banter. The golfers loved this event.”