For the past four days, Dakota Creek Golf and Country Club has been testing the limits of how much golf is too much for charity.
Thursday, July 12, marks the final day of the Feed the Orphans of Darfur 100 Golf Hole Marathon at the golf course in Custer.
Since Monday, July 9, approximately 30 golfers have literally played as much golf as they could between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. after paying their $100 entry fee. Course owner Pam Smith said she is hopeful that number will grow to more than 100 on Thursday.
"We know there are a lot of guys that are taking one day off from work and are going to play all day tomorrow," Smith said in a phone interview. "There's been quite a buzz."
Smith said the entire $100 entry fee will be going to help a group of more than 600 orphan refugees from the war in the Darfur region of the Sudan that Kimberly Smith is helping to feed through Make Way Partners.
"We had something last year to help them out, but we wanted to raise even more money this year to send to them," Pam Smith said.
To do so, Smith and her staff came up with the golf marathon and asked participants to raise as much sponsorship as they could to add to their $100 entry fees.
Through Wednesday, July 11, Smith said British Columbia golfer Yee Ma has made the most of the opportunity.
"He's pretty close to 100 holes already," Smith said. "He's been out there all three days. He's a season pass holder, so he didn't even have to pay, but he did. Not counting the $100 entry fee, he's raised about $500 in sponsorships."
For those who don't or can't golf, the course is also planning a Family Fun Night to start at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Highlighting the night will be a frog race "if we can catch enough of the stupid things," Smith said.
So far, 52 people have prepaid their $5 entry fee for a frog, and with the frogs being difficult to catch, Smith now said people can "bring their own." Those caught at Dakota Creek will be returned to the pond after the race, while the winning owner will claim 50 percent of the pot, with the other 50 percent going to the kids in Darfur.
Other fundraisers will include $5 hamburger and chilidogs, $1 marshmallows, $5 guided golf course tours and a bug seminar conducted by Salmon Enhanced. All money raised from the event will go to Make Way Partners, Smith said.
"It should be a fun time for families," Smith said. "We're expecting the kids to have a great time. They're probably going to get into the river, so we're telling people to have them dress accordingly, but it's all for a great cause."
More information can be obtained by calling the course at 360-366-3131 or emailing info@dakotacreekgolf.com.
