1st Annual Birchleggings Club Golf Classic Highlights

The 1st Annual Birchleggings golf classic was held at Creeks Bend Golf Course in New Prague, MN on July 18, 2024. In addition to supporting the Birkie experience, participants enjoyed a great day of golf on a bluebird morning with temperatures in the high 70s. There were 67 golfers on the course, plus 10 additional persons who did not golf but donated directly to the event. So in effect, we had 77 paid participants. The goal for next year is 100 + golfers! Mark your calendars for next year’s golf scramble scheduled for the third week in July on Thursday, July 17, 2025.

 

Ben Popp, Executive Director of the American Birkebeiner Foundation, joined forces with the two new Birchlegger board members Kim Rudd and Kitty Earl-Torniainen for a fantastic foursome golf squad. Team members discovered that Ben’s second career may be in professional golfing! "It was great to spend the day with a group of amazing, passionate people supporting the lifestyle we all love! Getting people out, enjoying new friendships while raising money for the Birchleggings Club was awesome - the start of a new summer tradition", said Ben after the event.

Around $6,000 was raised by the golf event which will be used to keep improving the Birkie trail system, grooming equipment, bridges, outhouses, skating pond, and the development of Telemark Village.

 

 

Many event participants went home with raffle and silent auction prizes donated by over 35 vendors. Team and individual prizes were awarded to the following golf participants:

 

      The Golf Tournament Championship Team was awarded to the foursome team of Paul Thompson, Ted Johnson, Dan Riukin, and Jim Tenorio.

      

      The 150-yard target course winner was Paul Tate. John Kapsner and Sam Mohs shared the win for the closest to the pin contest. The longest golf putt was awarded to Steve Hughes and the accuracy drive closest to the line was John Canny.

 

The Birchlegger board would like to thank all the volunteers, Birkie Foundation staff especially Louise Droessler, and vendor sponsors for making the 2024 Bircheggings Club Golf Classic a huge success.

 

All the photographs from the event can be seen on the Birchleggings Club Facebook Page. You do not have to be a member of Facebook to view the photos!

 

Special thanks Bob Britz and Jim Haubrich for the overall coordination of the event, Louise Droessler for assisting us with RunSignUp, Gina Fadden for the photographs, and to Kim Rudd for the wrap-up of the event!