Golf scramble raises nearly $10,000 for Beaver athletics

Bluffton University’s 17th annual Alumni and Friends Golf Scramble raised roughly $9,400 for university athletics through TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) Bluffton.

Harrod’s Colonial Golfers Club hosted the July 19 event, which drew 108 golfers from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Arizona, Florida and South Carolina.

The winners of the scramble received monetary prizes. The three-man team of alumni Gary Jones ’72 of Columbus Grove, Tom Baratko ’72 of Springboro and Denny Lane ’70 of Bellefontaine took first place.

Second place went to the T&D Interiors team of Brad Selover and Randy Prince, both of Elida; Tom Holtsberry of Harrod; and Jim Baxter.

Comprising the third-place team were Luke Shipp ’04 of Haskins; his father, Bob, and Chad Gray, both of Lima; and Dan Markiewitz of Perrysburg.

Awards were also given to Kyle Miller of Goshen, Ind., for longest drive by a man under 60, Bill Williams for longest drive by a man 60 or over and to Sandy Doan of Lima for longest drive by a woman.

Russell Krouse ’12 of Columbus made the longest putt on the 18th hole, while Williams and Matt Pitzer of Belmont, Mich., were closest to the pin with their tee shots on the par-3 fourth and 13th holes, respectively.

TEAM Bluffton was established in 2004 to provide financial assistance to the Bluffton athletics program. The funds, provided by alumni, parents and friends who are passionate about athletics at