Brad Sawyer Memorial Tourney remains Wildwood GC’s biggest draw

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — One’s circle of friends tends to shrink as the decades progress.

But the group that regularly participates in the annual Brad Sawyer Memorial Golf Tournament has expanded to where it now includes golfers from out of town, county and state.

A lot has happened to the friends, family and acquaintances of Sawyer since he died in an automobile accident on Oct. 13, 1999. Many of them have moved out of the area … gotten married … raised families.

That in turn has made the annual summer gathering rather extended.

“I never knew Brad,” Chris Wiemann of Waukee said, “but my wife (Amanda) did as she grew up here.

“This is about my fourth time playing this, but she has played in this tournament longer than me.”

Sawyer was a member of the Charles City High School golf team, and didn’t give up the sport after graduation. The historic 9-hole Wildwood Municipal Golf Course — where the tournament is annually played — was Sawyer’s favorite place to be, weather permitting, as his family and friends often knew where to find him if needed.

The spring after Sawyer’s death, his father Scott Sawyer — an avid golfer himself who often played with his son — started the tournament in Brad’s memory.

After Scott died in 2010, Brad’s mother, Annie, and sister, Tara — both varsity golfers in high school — have managed to keep the tournament going with the help of family and friends as well as Wildwood superintendent Joel Bruner.

Even a year after the first rainout in the best-ball tournament’s near 20-year history, the turnout shows no signs of diminishing returns.

“We again have 27 three-person teams with nine players on each hole,” Annie said of what has become Wildwood’s biggest tournament of the year.

“Last year, we had that big rain and it flooded the course,” Annie said. “We have so many people coming in from out of town that it was just too difficult to reschedule it.”

With heavy rains pelting the area just before the weekend, Annie feared that is could be two washouts in a row.

“I was watching the forecasts for the weekend and we just got lucky,” Annie said. “Most of the rain just missed us.”

As a result, the 18th-annual tournament managed to complete its double-circuit around Wildwood without a hitch … withstanding a lost ball or two.

For Annie, this time of the year can be “bittersweet” as it reminds her of the son who died while he was a young man. But she enjoys the company of Brad’s old friends and the new friends and spouses they bring to the tournament.

“And they’re all out here playing for fun,” Annie said. “We do award top teams, but it never gets too competitive.”

At least it wasn’t that way for the “nine-some” Annie accompanied that included Tara. The group seem to enjoy themselves the most while conducting massive ball searches and fishing balls out of the drink after wayward tee and approach shots.

Then came the eighth hole which acted like an anti-black hole as it seemed to repel any putt that came near it.

“Is there a time limit for putting like there is for serves in tennis?” someone said after each three-person team “three-putted” but still couldn’t find the cup.

Eventually, they picked up their balls and moved to the next tee. Afterall, they weren’t the only nine-some on the course.

Proceeds from the event went to cash prizes and for continual upgrades to the Wildwood course.