By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

Leagues are looking to conclude their play in September and outings are winding down despite golf courses planning to be open throughout the fall as play is feasible.

However, it is always fun for golfers at area courses to support the high-school teams that call the local fairways home.

With many local teams using the fairways of Portage County, including Rootstown and Field at Sunny Hill Golf Course, Southeast at Olde Dutch Mill, Mogadore and Waterloo at Paradise Lake Country Club, Streetsboro and Kent Roosevelt at Fairways at Twin Lakes and Raccoon Hill, Windham at Riverview, Garfield at Sugar Bush Golf Club and Ravenna at Windmill, local golfers have the opportunity to watch quality golf played by high-school teams at the courses they love.

I have watched golfers walk into the clubhouse and enjoy high-fives from the patrons and others congratulating golfers on their scores.

The boys and girls enjoy the accolades from adult golfers as much as winning the match as prep golfers compete as a team just as football, basketball and baseball players do and have the opportunity to bring home championships for both the schools and the communities.

BEN CURTIS FOUNDATION EVENT RESCHEDULED

The Ben Curtis Foundation outing, after 12 years, unfortunately had Mother Nature end their perfect streak for the Ben Curtis Golf Classic as it was rained out.

The event has been rescheduled for Congress Lake Golf Club on Sept. 28.

The outing continues to support the efforts of the foundation to allow no child to go hungry or children facing insecurity in their communities.

Speaking of the Ben Curtis Foundation, as the new school year gets underway, so do the Birdie Bag packs and volunteer opportunities.

The BCF is excited to welcome back volunteers and meet some new faces as they kick off another busy season of giving back.

Check out the Ben Curtis Foundation website to register at the volunteer hub and help pack Birdie Bags and continue to take care of food insufficiency in greater Portage County.

Log onto BenCurtisFoundation to help support and alleviate food insecurity among our children.

OHIO PGA QUALIFIERS

The 76th Ohio PGA Championship found four qualifiers at the top of the leaderboard and advancing to the 2027 PGA Professional Championship at Steamsong Resort in Bowling Green, Fla.

The four advancing to the national championship include Michael Balcar of Brandywine Country Club, Jim Troy of The Golf Dome, Anthony Parapento of Canterbury Golf Club and Randy Dietz, a Kent Roosevelt and Kent State graduate representing Windmill Golf Center.

The four finished atop the 76th Northern Ohio PGA Professional Championship to secure their spot on the national stage in Florida.

SENIOR PCA APPROACHES

Don’t forget to register for the annual Senior Portage County Amateur, Aug. 29-30, now in its 56th season.

The event will compete at Raccoon Hill Golf Club in Kent and Windmill Lakes Golf Club in Ravenna and always crowns winters in age groups 50-59, 60-69 and 70 and over. The event is also a fun competition for many of the golfers who look forward to getting together with golfers they often only see once each year.

Register at host golf courses: Windmill Lakes, Raccoon Hill or Sunny Hill Golf Course in Brimfield, online at PCAGolf.net or by emailing/call golffam2@gmail.com or 330-206-9083.

Looking forward to seeing everyone return to defend their championships or win for the first time on the final weekend in August.

GOLF CALENDAR

AUGUST 29-30 — 56^TH PORTAGE COUNTY SENIOR AMATEUR. Aug. 29 — Raccoon Hill Golf Club, Kent; Aug. 30 — Windmill Lakes Golf Club, Ravenna. Age Divisions: 50-59, 60-69, 70-plus, Women. 18-holes each day. Registration $100 by Aug. 14, Late registration $120 by Aug. 26.

LOCAL OUTINGS AND SCRAMBLES

AUGUST

Aug. 21 — 40^th Hattie Larlham Golf Classic, Sugar Bush Golf Club, Garrettsville.

Aug. 28 — Ravenna Chamber of Commerce Golf Outing@ Windmill Lakes Golf Course, Ravenna.

SEPT. 8: 1^ST PORTAGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP, Raccoon Hill Golf Club, Kent. Contact Bryan Harvey, bharvey7526@gmail.com, or Susan Jenior, golffam2@gmail.com.

SEPT. 28: Ben and Candace Curtis Foundation Golf Outing, Congress Lake Golf Club, Hartville.