The women had their chance to raise money for the fight against cancer earlier this month and it was the men's turn last weekend.
The Men's F*ck Cancer Tournament happened at the Yellowknife Golf Club on Aug. 18 with more than 60 golfers hitting the links to play 18 holes, but not just any 18 holes. The tournament was divided up into three different formats during the round: six holes of the Pinehurst format, which featured every hole beginning with each team playing drives and playing in teams of two. The players on each team walk to each drive and switch golf balls with a teammate hitting their partner's ball and vice versa. After their second shots, the partners compare the results and the best ball would be used for the remainder of the hole.
After Pinehurst, it was six holes of scramble golf, where teams tee off and the following shots would be played from whoever has the best shot for each following shot. The last six holes were greensomes, where the best tee shot is then selected and alternate shot is played until the completion of the hole.
Chad Hinchey and John White ended up as the low gross winners once the scorecards were totaled up, but it was all in support of the Stanton Territorial Hospital Foundation as part of the new fundraising campaign for Run For Our Lives.
Specifically, the money will go toward buying two automated endoscope reprocessor machines which cost around $100,000 each. According to a description of the machine, they're designed to "save time by increasing efficiency in the medical device reprocessing unit, allowing for more endoscopies to be cleaned and thus performed. The reprocessor helps reduce the risk of cross-contamination, and deliver maximum cleaning efficiency."
Patty Olexin-Lang, executive director of the foundation, said endoscopies are one of the most performed procedures at the hospital and the new reprocessors will allow gastroscopes, colonscopes and rhinolyrngoscopes to be processed for patient care and used in cancer screening and diagnosis.
In addition to the action on the course, there wwere also two chances to win money for a hole-in-one. The 11th and 14th holes were where it could be done and if an ace was made, someone would've walked away with $50,000. That didn't happen, but Josh Bembridge came the closest at the 14th as his tee shot came within five feet of the cup, while John Gouthro was six feet away from the hole at the 11th.
"We almost had one, but it was a great day to watch it all happen," said Olexin-Lang, who was the hole spotter at the 14th.
The holes-in-one were a separate fundraiser being held on behalf of Acasta Heliflight, which sponsored both holes. Players donated $30 per hole to take a shot with all proceeds going to the Baker Pancreatic Centre Institute at the London Health Sciences Centre in Ontario.
Adam Bembridge, president of Acasta, stated that the fundraiser was in honour of his late friend, Rick Baker, who died from the disease in September 2020.