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Golf Scrambles pop up around the Ohio Valley during the summer months at the rate of dandilions in the yard.

However, some are bigger than others without an argument.

And if you were to make a list of area scrambles that would be considered majors in the golf scramble world, the Jeffrey Showalter Memorial Celebrity Classic would rank somewhere on the list depending upon who you talk to maybe at the top.

There's no other celebrity tournaments held in the Ohio Valley. Bill Mazeroski holds a tournament in Pennsylvania that benefits a Buckeye Local scholarship, but it's not held here in the area. And when you've assembled the laundry list of who's who in former pro athletes that the Ohio Valley Christian Soldiers have put together, it's easy to see why the tournament is one of the hottest draws of the golfing year.

This year's event is which is the chief fundraiser for the Ohio Valley Christian Soldiers - will be held Wednesday, Aug. 12 at Belmont Hills Country Club.

The event will begin with a shotgun start at 11 a.m. and each foursome will be assigned a celebrity player. It's a scramble format and will feature various skill games such as hole-in-one contests, closest to the pin, long drive, longest putt, straightest drive and a team putting contest.

The entry fee is $500 per team and it includes lunch, golf with a cart, beverages, snacks on the course and a steak dinner sponsored by the Ye Olde Alpha. A putting challenge with a pay out of 5K, 10K and 20K will be contested on the 18th green after the competition as ended.

Several celebrities will be on hand to take part in the event. Those who have already committed to play include: Robin Cole (Steelers); Jim Rooker (Pirates); Randy Grossman (Steelers); Rennie Stennett (Pirates); Mel Blount (Steelers); Jason Gildon (Steelers); Pete Gonzalez (Steelers); Frank Thomas (Pirates); Phil Bourque (Penguins); Bob Butts (Browns); Lance Mehl (Jets) and various members of the SportsWorld Ministries.

Hole sponsorship opportunities are still available as well for $100 per sign and all of the proceeds benefit the Ohio Valley Christian Soldiers, which aide area organizations, groups and causes that may need the money to put food on a table, rebuild a home, purchase needs for children, medicine or even shelter.

"We're looking to provide the necessary held for our own friends and neighbors located right here in the Ohio Valley," said golf co-chairman Ted Showalter. "Our group is confident that the donations and participation will be seen by local businesses and individuals who support this cause."

For more information or to register a team please contact the OVCC at 699-2468.

ACES

MATT MASARICK of Martins Ferry aced the 165-yard sixth hole at Fairway River Links. He accomplished the feat on the Sunday, July 19 and it was witnessed by Jeremy Paden, Mike Hammerquist and Gary Misenhelder.

CALEB KARNELL of Wheeling aced the No. 8 hole at the Oglebay Park Par 3 course, sinking a shot on the 45-yard hole. The shot was witnessed by Michael Karnell, Howard Karnell and Zach Hickman.

WHEELING PARK GOLF CLUB

The Wheeling Park Men's and Women's Golf Clubs had busy weeks.

The women's club held its annual Elm Grove Civics Tournament recently.

Sally Hodgkiss shot a round of 37 to win the first-flight low gross. Judy Kinney's 31 was good enough for the first-flight low net and Carol Varner won the long drive on #3 in the first flight.

In the second flight, Mary Sue Huff prevailed in the first flight with a gross round of 46. Juanita Cress fired a 32 to take the low net title and Huff prevailed in the long drive on the ninth hole.

In the third flight, Kitty Hawk won the low gross with a round of 47. Linda Rush shot a round of 29 to win the low net for the third flight and Nancy Shaffer won the longest drive on No. 2.

Cindy Courtney's 53 was good enough to win the low gross of the fourth flight. Heidi Park fired a 29 to win the low net of the fourth flight. Courtney also won the long drive with a shot on the first hole.

The men's tournament held this past Wednesday was the Glessner & Associates tournament. Ray Coe and Bob Fitzsimmons tied for the medal crown with a round of 34.

Rich Colley's 35 was third and Bob Riser took the fourth spot, also firing a round of 35.

Stan Traylor won the handicap title with a round of 30. Nate Goudy and Tim Pasinetti each shot a round of 31 for the second-place award.

HONEYWELL JUNIOR

Moundsville Country Club will be the site of a major junior golf event Monday. The inaugural Honeywell Tournament - sponsored by Honeywell International - is open to youth from all over the Ohio Valley (ages 8-18). Trophies will be given to the top three juniors in each age division and a post-round meal will be provided to each competitor.

The event will be an 18-hole, stroke play event and it will begin at 8:30 a.m. The field is limited to 108 players with the age groups being: 12 and under; 13-14; 15-16 and 17-18.

MINI-GOLF TOURNAMENT

The eighth annual Bob Hunter Memorial Miniature Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, Aug. 15 at All Fore Fun in St. Clairsville. The proceeds of the event will be divided equally between House of the Carpenter and Thoburn's Building and Outreach Ministries. The Seekers Sunday School Class from Thoburn United Methodist Church in St. Clairsville is the host of the event.

Twosomes will begin playing at 8:30 a.m. and foursomes begin at 10 a.m. Golfers needed to arrive 30 minutes prior to the start of their round. The entry fee is $15 per player and it includes a chance to win prizes and trophies as well as a continental breakfast and lunch. For more information please call Thoburn UMC at 695-0770 or All Fore Fun at 695-6191.

GRAND VUE PARK

The Grand Vue Park first night flight tournament sponsored by Richards' Contracting will be held on Friday, Aug. 21. The three-person scramble begins at 6 p.m. on the backnine. A steak dinner will be served between the nines from 7:30 until 8 p.m. and then play on the front nine will begin. A winner will be crowned for each nine as well as the overall 18-hole winner. Male and female players of all ages are welcome to enter. The cost is $30 per golfer for non-members and $20 for members. That includes golf, steak dinner, drink and night flight balls. Tickets for the dinner may be purchased for $10, but patrons are reminded to bring their own place settings. Deadline to enter the tournament is Aug. 14. For more information please call the park office at 1-304-845-9810 ext. 402 or the golf shop extension at 411.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Beallsville Golf Team Scramble

The Beallsville High School Golf Team will host its 6th Annual 4-Man Golf Scramble on Saturday, August 1st, at the Switzerland of Ohio Country Club near Beallsville, starting with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. The cost is only $40 per golfer, which includes greens fees, carts, refreshments, lunch, and prizes. All proceeds will benefit the 2009 Beallsville H. S. Golf Team. Call Cliff Marcum at (740) 926-9197 or The Switzerland of Ohio Country Club at (740) 926-9985 to reserve a spot for your team.

Barnesville Hospital Scramble

Work is well under way to plan to the annual Barnesville Hospital Scramble at Belmont Hills Country Club. The tournament is scheduled for Aug. 10 and it will begin with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. The cost is $120 per player and that includes golf, cart, contests, door prizes, mulligans, beverages on the course and a meal.

The tournament also announced it will once again partner with Doan Ford in Morristown. If a player aces the second hole, a par three, he or she would drive away with a new vehicle.

Doan Ford is a part of golf because the same precision and skill the game takes is what's required in the building of automobiles.

To be a part of one of the premier golf scrambles in the Ohio Valley, please visit www.barnesvillehospital.com for more

information or contact Jeff Britton, Joe Jeffries or Dave Phillips at 740-425-3941.

Martins Ferry Chamber Scramble

The Martins Ferry Chamber of Commerce's annual golf scramble will be held on Saturday, Aug. 8 with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start at Paradise Hills Golf Course. The event will offer prizes to the top three teams and it will feature hot dogs and snacks at the turn as well as a post-round dinner. There will be hole-in-one prizes as well as a skins game and contests for longest drive, longest putt and closest to the pin. For more information or to register a team please contact the Chamber at 633-2565.

Pleasant Valley Country Club

The club's annual Ladies' Association Annual Invitational is set for Wednesday, Aug. 12 at Kings Creek Golf Course (formerly Pleasant Valley Country Club). All clubs and leagues in the area are invited to attend the event, which will feature a Hawaiin Luau theme. There will be individual low gross/low net games. The cost is $60 per a player and the deadline to enter is Aug. 5. For more information contact Barb Williams at 1-724-947-9114 or Glenda Virtue at 1-304-748-1672.

Valley Hospice Scramble

The second annual Valley Hospice Foundation Golf Scramble will be held Monday, July 20 at noon at the Steubenville Country Club.

A scramble format with blue tees will be followed in the shotgun start tourney sponsored by Colainnai Construction, Hancock County Savings Bank, GraeCon Construction, and First Choice America Federal Credit Union. Lunch will be available at 11 a.m., prior to the start of the tourney. A steak dinner will be served at 6 p.m.

Prizes include cash credits at the club pro-shop. First prize is $500, second prize is $300, and third prize is $200. A variety of raffle prizes valued at a total of $2,000 will be awarded throughout the tournament.

Proceeds from the event will help the foundation ensure the mission of Valley Hospice, a non-profit entity, including charitable assistance for patient/families, community bereavement services, and maintenance of its two care centers located in Steubenville at Trinity Medical Center East and at Liza's Place in Wheeling.

To register and for further information contact RJ Konkoleski, Valley Hospice Foundation executive director, at (740) 859-5650.

BEST COURSES

The May edition of Golf Digest presented the best golf courses in America, and as I was taking a closer look at this several courses in the tri-state area jumped out.

Oakmont CC near Pittsburgh is the fifth best and Muirfield Village in Dublin, which hosts The Memorial Tournament in June is 19th. The Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport, W.Va. is 57th.

Staskey can be reached at sstaskey@timesleaderonline.com