SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – On Sept. 19, 2019, Mark Huntley of Cavendish, Vt., landed a hole-in-one during the 19th annual Springfield Hospital Golf Challenge at the Okemo Valley Golf Club in Ludlow, Vt., and won $10,000. This was the first time in the history of the Golf Challenge, and also the first time during a tournament at OVGC, that a player hit a hole-in-one on one of the big prize-winning holes.
“Many thanks go to long-time supporters, Sharon and Ron Bixby of Ludlow Insurance Agency, for sponsoring hole #17 and the $10,000 cash prize,” says Sandy Peplau, who managed Springfield Hospital’s 2019 Golf Challenge. “We also extend thanks to Springfield Buick-GMC for sponsoring a hole-in-one prize at hole #8… a bright, red 2020 GMC 3500. While we had a very close call on that hole, we had no winners,” continued Peplau.
Twenty-two teams participated in this year’s Golf Challenge, and more than 60 businesses and individuals sponsored the event that raised over $14,000 for Springfield Hospital.
“When I was given the task of organizing this year’s tournament, I hoped for three things,” says Peplau. “One: No rain, and we had a beautiful, blue-sky day. Two: Enough people to play in the tournament, and we had 88 players. And, three: Wouldn’t it be fun for someone to get a hole-in-one? I never thought that I would get my third wish. Thanks, Mark!”
Proceeds from this year’s Golf Challenge are being used to purchase equipment for the Urology Department and Operating Room at Springfield Hospital.