More than a game: Go 4th golf challenge raises money for locals in need
Longview Fire Department's annual hole-in-one golf challenge at Longview's Go 4th festival isn't just about having fun.
Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help
Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to The Daily News.
The game raises thousands of dollars each year for families displaced by local house fires, said David Lamb, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters union, Local 828.
When a person in the fire district loses their home or belongings, the department supplies gift cards to local stores like Bob's Sporting Goods and Safeway to help residents replace the necessities they lost.
The longrunning event returned Thursday at noon at Lake Sacajawea Park. Lamb estimated the game has been a regular at Go 4th since the 1990s.
Hole-in-One Challenge
A player takes a swing at the 2026 annual Hole-in-One Challenge at Lake Sacajawea during the Go 4th festivities on Thursday, July 2, in Longview.
How it works
For $5, participants receive five golf balls to try to hit floating green squares in the lake, roughly 110 yards away.
If people need more chances, they can grab 12 balls for $10.
A hole-in-one lands a participant the grand prize: a Blackstone grill, donated by Bob's Sporting Goods in Longview.
If a player lands a ball on the green but doesn't make it in the hole, that person can draw from an assortment of local gift cards.
Hole-in-One Challenge sign
The sign for the annual Hole-in-One Challenge at Lake Sacajawea during the Go 4th festivities on Thursday, July 2, in Longview.
If the ball skips off the green, a participant can grab a free drink from a cooler.
To verify whether a person sank a hole-in-one, a volunteer with binoculars watches from a booth, then a volunteer heads out on a boat to check.
People on boats man the lake to also retrieve the floating golf balls.
If you go
What: Hole-in-One Golf Challenge
When: noon-8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Hemlock Street and Kessler Boulevard at Lake Sacajwea Park, Longview.
How the money is used
Typically, the event raises $8,000 to $10,000 each year, said Lamb.
In addition to helping displaced locals after fires, the money raised for the department's benevolent fund also covers youth sports team sponsorships and items like coats for children during the holidays.
The department recently donated $16,000 from this fund to the AWPPW Family Assistance Fund to support families affected by the May 26 fatal Nippon chemical spill.
Hole-in-One Challenge
Participants at the annual Hole-in-One Challenge at Lake Sacajawea during the Go 4th festivities on Thursday, July 2, in Longview.
The effects of the game last long past Fourth of July weekend each year.
"Between sports teams, holiday families and fire vouchers, it touches hundreds of lives," said Lamb.
Boat
A boat near where participants would be taking swings during the annual Hole-in-One Challenge at Lake Sacajawea during the Go 4th festivities on Thursday, July 2, in Longview. The boat is used to collect golf balls and verify scores.
Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.