Greg Flesher was doing what Greg Flesher always does, he was walking around observing and making mental notes.
He didn't stay in one place long during registration and lunch. Last year, he set a record for the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame golf tournament for total teams and money raised.
As the new president, with a two-year term, a few months ago in the first of several golf meetings in a friendly way, he challenged first vice president Greg Hatcher, the new golf chairman.
Flesher didn't have to. Greg Hatcher did what Greg Hatcher does, he took the challenge head on and raised the bar for number of teams and money raised.
Executive Director Terri Johnson was doing what Terri Johnson does, she was running the tournament.
Yesterday afternoon, following lunch, at Chenal Country Club more than 40 teams teed off for some fun in the sun.
There are lots of great golf tournaments in Arkansas, but none are quite the same as this annual event.
People came from all over the state to be a part of the tournament. Almost every college and university in the state was represented and each of the teams was assigned a celebrity, some who are good at golf and some who are great at telling stories.
Many are good at both.
There are almost as many volunteers to keep things moving as there are celebrities. Players are registered quickly and the four members of the Bryant volleyball team keep everything on the ready.
Last year, pro golfer Ken Duke, who is in the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, played as one of those celebrities and had so much fun he put together his own team.
Steve Cox, also a Hall of Famer and member of the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees, had his own team too. Cox, a former Razorback and NFL kicker, is like the vast majority of the folks playing yesterday, a good person and good guy.
Sponsors like The Hatcher Agency, Arkansas Greyhound Kennel Association, Delta Dental and Wilson Sporting Goods stepped up big.
While the tournament is like a family reunion -- lunch lasts about two hours as friends and former teammates catch up with each other's lives and then stay afterwards for more talk and more food at the Wilson/John Bailey reception -- it is competitive too.
And you would almost have to be unlucky not to win something.
As if it wasn't enough that every golfer and celebrity gets a Fairway and Greene golf shirt, there's also a bag full of goodies.
Winners of each division get new Wilson golf bags and the sporting goods giant also donates drivers, bags, balls and numerous other items.
Then there are three tables of items that overflowed with 68 door prizes.
Of course, there are the obligatory tennis rackets for the teams who finish last.
A hole-in-one on a designated hole would have won someone a Cadillac, but unlike last year when Arkansas State football Coach Blake Anderson aced a hole, there were no hole in ones.
Defending champions French Brokers was back and while they didn't repeat, no one had more fun, especially sponsor Chris Walker, who is there more for the comraderie than golf.
There was no overall winner as the low score on both courses was a 53.
Cox's team with Weston Cox, Lee Brun and Beau Glover won the round on Bear's Den and Evans Dietz, William Juna, Petey King and Dr. Billy Kyser won the Founder's course.
It was a grand day of golf for a great cause, but most of all it was a day when golfers, former athletes from every sport and school come together and share a few hours and a good time.
Sports on 06/18/2019