The 26th Annual Fireball Four Person Scramble Golf Tournament was held this past Saturday at the Chinook Golf and Country Club. Over the past five years the tournament has continued to try and match the demand for entry, expanding the field to a whopping 27 teams. It's safe to say the course was filled to the brim with three teams, featuring 12 players, began the tournament on each of the courses nine holes.

With such a large field the registration, Calcutta and start time were all moved up to get play started as early in the morning as possible. Teams took to the course full of energy and hope, some teams saw that hope disappear quickly with one beginning the day at +5 through six holes.

The team of Ben Parsons, Kris Parsons, Clayton Parsons and Karson Powell had a unique start to their round playing the first six holes without a Par. The team started with a bogey on their first hole followed with another bogey while using all of their mulligans on just their second hole. The quartet then drained a pair of long Birdie putts to get themselves back to even par only to pick up another bogey on the fifth hole and then chip it to within four inches for a tap in Birdie on their sixth hole.

The atmosphere on the course was fun and electric with each of the three teams paired together on each hole comfortable with their playing partners. Some teams definitely took to enjoying the 'spirits' of the day while others found themselves in position to have a good round and maybe go home with a little extra cash in their pocket.

The overall winner of the tournament was the team of Tony Kindle, Cory Shelhamer, Gordon Webb and Tim Kindle. The group entered the tournament with the low handicap of 2.31 and didn't disappoint turning in a score of -13, 59 to win by two strokes. Overall runner up finishers were the team of Jake Diemert, Mike Seymour, Tom Schwab and Lane Seymour. They began the tournament with the number two handicap of 5.01 and were -8 through their first nine holes. After their final putt dropped the team stood at -11, 61 to finish second. Finishing third overall was Dave Gordon AJ LaMere, John Mitchell and Isaiah Murie with a -8, 64.

Making the biggest jump in the championship flight was the team of Steve Archambault, Al Bigby, Jeremy Walker and Stan Zander Jr. The group began the day with a 10.05 handicap, tenth lowest overall. At the tournament end they had shot a round of 63, -9 to finish first in the overall Net Standings.

Second place overall Net went to Tyler Cichosz, Harlan Mount, Nate Mount and RJ Ramone. The team entered the tournament with a 13.44 handicap, good for twentieth in tournament field. The team fired off a round of 68 to finish at -4. Third place overall net went to Nicholas Hopkins, Nick Hopkins, Steven Hopkins and Clayton KillEagle. Entering the tournament with handicap of 13.36, 23rd in the field of 27 the quartet parleyed that into a round of 68, -4 to finish with some cash in their pocket.

The Calcutta took just the scores of the back nine for each team with the winner of the Championship flight Gross going to the team of Shelhamer, Webb, Tony Kindle and Tim Kindle. Second Gross Calcutta winners were Gordon, LaMere Mitchell and Murie. First Net in the Championship flight was the team of Archambault, Bigby Walker and Zander Jr. Second Net went to the team of Karre Engebretson, Neal Rossette, Ian Windy Boy and Daryl Wright with a 67, -5.

First place Gross for the second flight was the team of Eddie Moore, tony Rider, Dillon Demontiney and Rob Williams with a round of 66, -6. Second place Gross for the second flight went to Jay Eslick, Barb Eslick, Hoover Peterson and Kathy Peterson with a round of 68, -4. First Net was the team of Nicholas Hopkins, Nick Hopkins, Steven Hopkins and Clayton KillEagle. Second Net went to Cichosz, Harlen Mount, Nate Mount and RJ Ramone.

To put a tournament of this size on takes months of planning and course preparation. Chinook Golf Course Superintendents Mike Seymour and Mike Jones did a fantastic job in preparing the course, presenting it to the tournament field in pristine condition with amazing greens, well manicured fairways and manageable rough.

Seymour also serves as Tournament Director and goes above and beyond in making sure every player and team is treated to a remarkable experience. Players begin the day with a wonderful breakfast, have a nice lunch served to them at the turn and finish the day with a steak dinner.

Mike Seymour chips it tight on hole 17 Saturday afternoon at the 26th Annual Fireball Tournament. Seymour and his team finished the day at -11 to finish second overall in the tournament.

Seymour's efforts include organizing who makes the breakfast and lunch, who brings the salads and deserts to who gets the steaks and cooks them, in addition to going out and collecting hole prizes for every hole on the course and providing the opportunity to win a trip to Hawaii, $5,000 or even $10,000 Hole in One monitors, beverage cart and club house personnel are just other details that need to be pinned down. When the dust settles it's safe to say everyone in attendance appreciated all of those efforts, even if they aren't aware of it.