Cabinet Ridge Riders hit the golf links

THOMPSON FALLS – The Cabinet Ridge Riders traded in their normal modes of transportation for golf carts over the weekend as the outdoor enthusiasts came together for the annual Cabinet Ridge Riders Tournament.

River’s Bend Golf Course in Thompson Falls played host to the Trout Creek organization’s daylong golf tournament.

Teams competing in the benefit tourney teed off around 9:30 a.m. and played throughout the heat of the unseasonably warm summer day on Saturday, July 12.

According to Steve Anderson of the Cabinet Ridge Riders, 13 separate teams took part in this year’s edition of the club’s annual tournament.

“It’s a good day for the tournament and everyone is having fun,” Anderson said.

The golf outing consisted of 18 holes with team start times staggered across the course to ensure groups did not get log jammed behind one another over the course of the competition.

In addition to the 18-hole traditional golf competition, the tournament featured a challenge hole where competitors attempted to place their opening shot within the closest distance to the pin from the tee box on the first hole of the course.

Those who wanted to partake in the challenge could purchase three golf balls for $5, giving them multiple opportunities to win the skills competition.

The winner walked away from the day on the links with $50 with the rest of the funds going towards the non-profit organization’s various donation efforts.

Ben Mummert took home the first place prize after placing two golf balls within four inches of the cup.

Anderson said the tournament was an opportunity for friends to get together and help out a local organization.

“The tournament is basically to try to help out the golf course and to have fun,” Anderson said.

Anderson’s golf grouping had their share of fun on the day, filling their round with competitive banter and spirited competition.

The green of the third hole on the course featured some challenging putting lines, giving several members of Anderson’s group difficulty and eliciting a modest amount of criticism from their golf buddies.

Teams in the tournament were allotted a couple of mulligans each to provide the squads with some room for error as they completed the allotted 18 holes.

The Cabinet Ridge Riders are a charitable non-profit organization providing scholarships, while giving to local charities and youth organizations.

Members of the group are outdoor enthusiasts from all over Sanders County and consist of users of motorized and non-motorized modes of transportation.

The July golf outing is only one of the events held by the organization with an annual snowmobile poker run occurring in February and an ATV poker run taking place in June.

Saturday’s competition was set in a scramble format, where teams would play the best ball of the group as opposed to each golfer’s shot as one would do in traditional stroke or match play.

Scrambles are often employed for large-scale tournaments to speed up the pace and allow all teams in the event to get a fair chance to play the course without rushing.

The River’s Bend Golf Course is a nine-hole venue and teams played through twice to complete the 18 hole championship.

The winning team on the day with the lowest gross score on the round was made up of Bill Nolen, Ben Mummert, Jerry Thompson and Howard Markaert.

A barbecue and prize giveaway was held in Trout Creek following the tournament.