The 2003 Shocker Open — sponsored by the WSU Alumni Association and better known as “Be the Ball” Caddyshock III — invaded the links at Wichita’s Willowbend Golf Course April 28 and challenged golfers to some steep alumni competition.
“It was a very successful event,” tournament coordinator Timothy Holder says. “Overall, it was a great day.”
That success is evident in the numbers. The tournament drew a total of 108 attendees, and more than 25 Wichita-area merchants participated as sponsors.
The golf tourney itself consisted of three flights with 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winning teams from each flight, for a total of nine prize-winning teams. Members of the overall winning team were George Fahnestock ’69, Eric Fahnestock, Rob Jacob and Darin Weidenheimer fs ’89.
But it was Foster Smith who came up the big prizewinner of the day, taking home a TaylorMade R580 400cc driver. Unfortunately, no one managed to win the hole-in-one prize sponsored by Kim Dwerkotte Interiors — a 2003 Mercedes Benz.
Everyone did, however, take home participating prizes: WuShock golf balls, thanks to a donation from Steve Cohlmia ’74, Tom Hoover and Rigby Carey ’70, plus “Be the Ball” event golf shirts, compliments of Intrust Bank and Western Uniform.
House of Schwan and Pepsi Cola of Wichita provided green fees, carts and on-course beverages (Budweiser and Pepsi and its family of products).
Other tournament sponsors were Dulaney, Johnston & Priest; Fahnestock Heating & Air Conditioning; Bank of America, Foulston Siefkin LLP; Associated Business Forms; Security Self Storage; Classic Real Estate; Lamplighter Mobile Home Park; Klenda, Mitchell, Austerman; Key Management; Cochran Mortuary; McKinney’s First Street Automotive; Howard’s Optical; Patterson Dental; Southwest Remodeling; Hurst Liquor; Dr. Ted Mason; Allen, Gibbs & Houlik; and Feist Publications.
“Willowbend is a fun course, and we had a terrific turnout,” Holder says. “We hope to continually improve the tournament in the years to come.”
