American Legion Post 199 Golf Tournament Offers $25,000 Hole-in-One Prize at Quail Creek Oct. 15

FAIRHOPE, Ala. — American Legion Eastern Shore Post 199 is inviting golfers to tee it up for a good cause at the inaugural Post 199 golf tournament, set for Thursday, Oct. 15, at Quail Creek Golf Course in Fairhope.

The event, billed as the post’s first annual golf tournament, will combine an afternoon of competition with fellowship among players, sponsors and supporters. Money raised will benefit local veterans and the post’s building fund.

The tournament will be played as a four-person scramble and will feature a slate of on-course contests, including a pair of hole-in-one challenges with headline prizes: $25,000 in cash on one hole and a car on another.

Tournament Format and Contests

In a scramble, each member of a four-person team hits a shot, the team selects the best one, and all four players hit their next shots from that spot. The process repeats until the ball is holed. The format is popular at charity tournaments because it keeps play moving and allows golfers of a wide range of abilities to contribute to a team score.

Beyond the team competition, Post 199 has lined up several individual contests on the course:

• Two longest-drive holes
• Two closest-to-the-pin holes
• Two hole-in-one opportunities

One hole-in-one prize offers golfers the chance to win $25,000 in cash. That prize is sponsored by Beth and Tom Johnston, Vacation Planners with Dream Vacations. The second hole-in-one prize gives players a shot at winning a car, sponsored by Tameron Gulf Coast.

Tournament materials state there will be one winner for each hole-in-one prize.

Longest-drive contests reward the player who hits the longest tee shot that finishes in the fairway on a designated hole, while closest-to-the-pin contests are usually held on par-3 holes and reward the tee shot that comes to rest nearest the flagstick. Hole-in-one contests, as the name suggests, require a player to hole a tee shot in a single stroke on the designated hole, a rare feat that makes those big prizes a popular draw at charity events.

Schedule for Oct. 15

The day at Quail Creek is scheduled to run from late morning through late afternoon. According to the post, the schedule is as follows:

• 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Registration, warm-ups, silent auction and lunch
• Following lunch: Announcements
• 12:30 p.m.: Shotgun start
• 4:30 p.m.: Silent auction closes
• 4:45 p.m.: Awards ceremony

A shotgun start means teams are sent to different holes around the course and all begin play at the same time, rather than teeing off one after another from the first hole. The approach allows the entire field to finish at roughly the same time, which is why it is common for tournaments that end with an awards ceremony.

Golfers and guests will also have a chance to bid in the silent auction, which opens during the registration and lunch period and remains open until 4:30 p.m., shortly before awards are presented.

Cost and What’s Included

Entry costs $125 per golfer or $500 for a four-person team. The fee covers:

• Green fees and a cart
• Range balls
• A swag bag
• Lunch

Players do not need a full foursome to sign up. The post said golfers may register individually without having a complete team.

How to Register

Registration forms are available online. Completed forms can be mailed along with payment to:

American Legion Eastern Shore Post 199
PO Box 473
Fairhope, AL 36533

Checks should be made payable to American Legion Eastern Shore Post 199.

The post is also asking players to provide an honest handicap when they register. In golf, a handicap is a measure of a player’s ability relative to the course, and organizers of scramble events often use handicap information to help balance teams or to keep competition fair. Accurate handicaps help ensure the tournament is enjoyable for everyone in the field.

Sponsors Backing the Event

In addition to the hole-in-one prize sponsors, Century Bank is listed as a tournament sponsor. Beth and Tom Johnston, Vacation Planners with Dream Vacations, are sponsoring the $25,000 cash hole-in-one prize, and Tameron Gulf Coast is sponsoring the car hole-in-one prize.

Local sponsors are a cornerstone of most charity golf tournaments, helping cover costs so that more of the money raised can go directly to the cause. For Post 199, that cause is twofold: assistance for local veterans and the post’s building fund.

Supporting Veterans and the Post 199 Building Fund

Proceeds from the tournament will support local veterans as well as the American Legion Eastern Shore Post 199 building fund.

The post describes its mission as supporting veterans and strengthening the community through service, support and community engagement.

That mission reflects the broader purpose of The American Legion, which was founded in 1919 after World War I and chartered by Congress. Today it is the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization, with posts in communities across the country. Local posts often serve as gathering places for veterans and their families, and many are active in programs that support youth, promote patriotism and assist veterans who need help navigating benefits or getting back on their feet.

A building fund, for a post like Eastern Shore Post 199, typically goes toward securing or improving a physical home where members can meet, host events and offer services. The post has not released additional details about its building plans in its tournament materials.

Golf on the Eastern Shore

Fairhope sits on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay in Baldwin County and is known for its bayfront parks, pier and walkable downtown. Quail Creek Golf Course gives local players a home course close to town, and its selection for the inaugural tournament keeps the event rooted in the Eastern Shore community the post serves.

Mid-October is generally a comfortable time to be on a golf course along the Gulf Coast, as summer heat and humidity typically begin to ease. An afternoon shotgun start also gives players a chance to enjoy lunch and a relaxed morning before heading out.

Tournament Details at a Glance

• Event: American Legion Eastern Shore Post 199 First Annual Golf Tournament
• Date: Thursday, Oct. 15
• Location: Quail Creek Golf Course, Fairhope
• Format: Four-person scramble
• Check-in: 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. (registration, warm-ups, silent auction and lunch)
• Start: 12:30 p.m. shotgun
• Awards: 4:45 p.m.
• Cost: $125 per golfer or $500 per four-person team
• Prizes: $25,000 cash and car hole-in-one opportunities, plus longest-drive and closest-to-the-pin contests
• Beneficiaries: Local veterans and the Post 199 building fund

How the Community Can Help

Golfers can support the effort by signing up individually or as a foursome. Those who don’t play can still contribute by bidding in the silent auction, sharing information about the event with friends and co-workers, or contacting the post about other ways to support its work with local veterans.

For a first-year event, strong turnout can help set the stage for future tournaments. With the post calling this its first annual tournament, organizers are signaling their hope that Oct. 15 will be the beginning of a new tradition on the Eastern Shore, one that brings golfers together each year in support of the veterans who served the country and the community that supports them.