Newspapers in Education tourney is Sunday
MOSES LAKE — The Columbia Basin Herald’s Newspapers in Education (NIE) Golf Classic is less than three days away and space is still available for the tournament held at the Coeur d’Alene Resort in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Sunday.
The NIE program is designed to benefit youth in classrooms throughout the Columbia Basin and the Newspapers in Education Golf Classic will help raise funds for the 2009-2010 school year.
With help from event sponsors Horizon Credit Union and Horizon Northwest Mortgage and tournament host Coeur d’Alene Resort, the Columbia Basin Herald is looking to make a difference in the education of Columbia Basin students, said Event Chairman and Columbia Basin Herald Circulation Director Tom Hinde.
“This is the NIE’s biggest fund-raiser of the year,” he said. “The program benefits dozens of classrooms in Moses Lake and the surrounding communities.”
The tournament is scheduled to tee off with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon at one of the premier golf destinations in North America — the Coeur d’Alene Golf Course.
The Coeur d’Alene Golf Course is a 683-yard, par-71 course and is designed around four distinct geographical features — an expansive lake shore, forested ridge, gently rolling woodlands and Fernan Creek. The Coeur d’Alene Golf Course has established itself as a perennial award winner and recently received Golf World Magazine’s prestigious 2009 Readers’ Choice Award.
The Coeur d’Alene Golf Course is one of North America’s most prestigious golf courses and Hinde said there is still room available to participate in the Columbia Basin Herald’s Newspapers in Education Golf Classic.
“A few spots are still available for the Columbia Basin Herald’s Newspapers in Education Golf Classic hosted by the Coeur d’Alene Golf Course,” he said.
In addition to helping students throughout the Columbia Basin, participating golfers will have the opportunity to play through an array of hole contests at the Coeur d’Alene Golf Course.
Hinde has coordinated 12 hole contests for Sunday’s tournament including longest putt, longest drive, and closest to the pin.
Additional contest include the closest to the fairway marker where teams will attempt to drive closest to a Washington State University Cougar Gold Cheese can. The winner of the event will win cheese for every member of the team.
A similar contest will occur on hole 17 for a chance to win a bottle of premium whisky.
While Hinde has lined up 12 contests, none may be more exciting than the “Claim the Island” on hole 14.
“Our signature contest is the ‘Claim the Island’ closest-to-the-pin contest on the Coeur d’Alene Resort’s award-winning, signature hole,” he said. “The winner receives a special bottle of Chivas Regal 18-year-old Gold Signature Scotch whisky featuring a one-of-a-kind gift label.”
While hole contests will provide golfers with prizes during the tournament, Hinde will raffle off prizes during the post-tournament barbecue to follow the event.
“We have some outstanding wine, hats, and shirts to give away,” he said. “We also have a gift basket prepared by Washington State University President Elson S. Floyd.”
Registered golfers will receive a round of golf at the world famous Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course, a water taxi to and from the resort, fore caddie service, a 2009 Coeur d’Alene Resort golf bag tag, complimentary practice balls, warm-up sports massage, barbecue dinner and gift bag.
Space is still available for Sunday’s tournament and interested participants should register as soon as possible, Hinde said.
For more information about the Newspapers in Education program or to participate in this year’s golf tournament, contact Hinde or NIE coordinator Jenna Erickson at 509-765-8882.