Last year, the first weekend in November, the venerable(ish) Avon Fields Golf Course in Cincinnati, Ohio hosted the first Strong Like Stella Cincinnati Open (also known as the Duel to the Death or the Duel at Dawn or something to do with Skyline chili and reading a book). It was a gathering for the ages (literally and figuratively), and it raised an unprecedented sum for @pushdraw’s daughter Stella and her battle with SMA.
This year, the coronavirus pandemic has delayed and canceled numerous golf events around the world - but the show must go on! After a quick poll of the Roll Call: Ohio thread, it seems there is a fair-enough level of interest in holding a second SLSCO, so I am hereby proposing such an event.
Weather and government permitting, I’m looking at Saturday, November 7th as a target date. This gives us plenty of time for event organization and travel planning. However, I’m going to need some help. I don’t personally have the ability, physically or financially, to put on an event to the scale it was last year. What parts of last year’s tournament do we want to bring back? What do we want to do different, or new? You tell me - I’m open to suggestions.
My only request is this: let’s get a big group of Refugees and other golf nuts together at a cool old muni in Cincinnati on a cold autumn morning, play some golf, have a good time, and support a worthy cause. Who’s with me?
Shoot, I completely forgot about that (as you can probably tell though, I’m not playing in the NIT). Should we try to do another weekend? There’s some players in the NIT that should be able to be a part of the SLSCO, since they were at the first one.
I’ve already gotten in touch with Avon and am waiting to hear back from them about renting the course to host a tournament. If that can’t be negotiated, what are some other courses we could play?
I’m a frequenter of Indian Ridge, which is up near Oxford. If we’re looking for a course and vibe similar to Avon, we could also try Potter’s Park in Hamilton?
No disrespect to the NIT at all, but the NIT would not be in the same league as the OG SLS.
I think if they decide to become involved, we follow their lead, if they choose, if not, fine, but its not the same thing. Trying to make it the same thing would be a mistake imo.
Lets not lose sight of the fact that @ljp put several thousand dollars on his personal credit card not knowing who would come (both in number of people, and that he didnt know the people coming), @anon81973724 was willing to fistfight a superintendent, @mike bought everyone bag tags, I think it was @VelvetSteve that made tee markers. I’m missing a lot of stuff here, i think you get the gist.
my point is, these guys put all of this stuff on their own dime, and lined it all up not knowing what was going to happen.
Dont for one second think the refuge is what it has become without these psychos in Cincinnati.
The original event was a case study in “people will come”.
I wasn’t at the first event, but did get an auction item. Whoever the organizers were the first time did a phenomenal job in all aspects. I’d recommend reaching out to them, as they have successfully done this already.
(My two cents: it won’t be the same. Can’t be. But that’s ok. Avon should still be apart of it though if at all possible. I would make that trip for Avon to reminisce. If it’s just some other cinci golf meet up At other arbitrary courses I may not.)