Cortez residents wore their best tie-dye and vintage leather jackets to the third annual Onward! A Legacy Foundation putt-putt tournament on Saturday.
This year, 17 teams golfed 10 putt-putt holes, set up at businesses in downtown Cortez. The 2018 tournament’s theme was “going retro,” so contestants were asked to wear costumes from their favorite past decade.
The participation fees, which cost $75 for individuals and $275 for a team of four, go to fund the grants the nonprofit Foundation awards to local organizations every year.
Each business that participates in the tournament builds its own putt-putt hole, and the ones voted the best receive an award at the end of the event. The last two winners were Blondie’s Trophy Room and Colorado Love Outdoors.
In the past, golfers have competed at nine businesses, but this year, the list was expanded to 10, Onward’s executive director, Chuck Forth, said.
“This year, we decided to open it up and do 10 because we had so many businesses that wanted to do it,” he said. “They kind of enjoy it, and they get some nice publicity.”
Cliffrose Garden Market and WildEdge Brewing Collective joined for the first time this year.
Several of the participating businesses offered bargains to golfers, like Loungin’ Lizard, where teams could get a deal on an alcoholic Arnold Palmer. The restaurant set up a pool-style course on the counter in its coffee shop wing, where participants had to use the wrong end of their golf clubs to shoot.
This year, several golfers were back for their second or third tournament. Cindy Green of Comfort Air in Cortez has played every year. This time she brought along two co-workers and their wives who had never participated before.
“Number one, it’s for a good cause ... and they make it so much fun,” she said. “More people should do it because it’s just a blast.”
In 2017, Onward awarded 12 grants to Four Corners businesses, including the city of Dove Creek Recreation, Dolores River Boating Advocates, Renew, the Bridge Emergency Shelter, Mancos FoodShare and several programs designed to benefit youths. Forth said the goal was to raise $5,000 through this year’s putt-putt tournament.
