Honorary Chairs CSM Hall of Famers Danny Williams, NJCAA Champ Roger Welch
The College of Southern Maryland Foundations Annual Golf Classic will celebrate its 24th year at Swan Point Yacht & Country Club in Issue, Md., Aug. 13.
A signature event for CSM, the tournament has made a major impact over its history raising funds for students and programs offered at the college. The goal this year is to raise $50,000 to support CSM Foundation initiatives including athletics and student scholarships for credit and workforce development programs.
Returning as co-chairs of the golf committee are Foundation Director Chris Rush, a 1987 graduate of CSM, and Mark Posten, owner of Mark Posten Excavating.
Our goal this year is to raise funds so that we can make an impact in the lives of our students and in the community through the funds we raise at this event, said Rush. The Golf Classic is recognized as one of the finest golf events in the area and we are adding new activities and contests for golfers and sponsors. We are grateful to have Marrick Homes join us again as the grand tournament sponsor.
Honorary chairs are CSM Hall of Famers Danny Williams, who served the college for 41 years as an instructor and coach, and Roger Welch, who as a freshman became the 2002 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Golf Champion.
“The Golf Classic is a great example of support that students and student-athletes receive from the community. Since I retired in 2011, some of my most satisfying experiences are coming in contact with former students and players and the part we played in shaping and enhancing their lives,” said Williams.
The tournament kicks off with registration opening at 7:30 a.m. and a shotgun start at 9 a.m. Food and beverage sponsors include Carrabbas, Chick-fil-A of La Plata, Bozick Distributors, Inc. and Royalle Services, Inc. The day will include a silent auction featuring vacations, golf trips and other exclusive items.
In addition to Marrick Homes, sponsors include Raley, Watts & ONeill Insurance and Community Bank of the Chesapeake co-sponsoring the $10,000 putting contests, and Waldorf Chevy Cadillac hosting the hole-in-one contest.
Sponsorships, including additional contest sponsor opportunities, are available and golfers may register as a team or individually. New this year is Alumni Row which will support the CSM Alumni Scholarship. For $50, alumni can purchase a tee sign with their name to showcase their class year. The alumni signs will line the pathway that golfers use as they leave the clubhouse headed for the course.
Deadline for registration is Aug. 1. To register or for sponsorship information contact Erika Abell at 301-934-7647 or erika.abell@csmd.edu or visit http://www.csmd.edu/foundation/GolfClassic/.
For photo gallery and video highlights from last years event, visit http://csmphoto.zenfolio.com/23rdgolfclassic and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yn0VbV9YGQ&index=28&list=PLBE69BC7E510576CD.
Sidebar
CSM Hall of Famers to Serve as Honorary Chairs of 2015 Golf Classic
Roger Welch
Roger Welch attended CSM his freshman year and played on the 2002 golf team. He medaled in every golf match that year except for the regionals where he lost a tie-breaker to earn second place and qualify for the nationals.
The tie-breaker was the 37th hole, par-three in a thunderstorm. In Rogers backswing, a passing car honked and he never complained, said Welchs former golf coach Danny Williams at the CSM Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
At the nationals at Palm Valley in Phoenix, Welch took his consistent play to a new level. On the first day Welch scored a 71 and was in a seven-way tie for first. In his second round, Welsh scored an even better 68, followed by 71s in the last two rounds.
Roger had won the NJCAA National Championship by 7-under par and five strokes. There were only two other players under par out of 139 golfers. This was truly a great accomplishment, said Williams.
Going into the nationals, Welch was not on too many colleges radar. At the conclusion of the competition, Welch had five offers from Division I schools for full scholarships.
He chose to attend Southern Illinois University where he finished in the top 10 nationally multiple times and served as team caption 2005-06. Following graduation, Welch joined the professional tour and in September 2006 made his first cut and his best finish on the mini-tour at third place.
After a five-year break, Welch resumed golf in 2012 and won his first tournament that August. He is currently a Level 2 PGA Professional Golf Management Apprentice and is first assistant golf professional at Washington Golf and Country Club in Arlington.
Danny Williams
Danny Williams began his career at Charles County Community College as a student in 1966, graduated in 1968 and began teaching in 1970. Over his 41 years of service to the college, he taught health, fitness and strength training, and served as coach for a number of sports. Williams retired in 2011.
As the college was growing, Williams added mens tennis, mens soccer, softball, womens basketball and golf. He served one season as womens basketball coach, one season as head coach and one season as assistant coach for womens tennis, two seasons as assistant coach for baseball, three seasons as head coach for softball, five seasons as head coach for mens soccer, 10 seasons as assistant coach for mens basketball, 17 seasons as head coach for mens tennis and 25 seasons as head golf coach, totaling 41 years of coaching and 65 different seasons.
Williams teams earned five conference championships, three regional championships and one national championship. He was named coach-of-the-year twice.
Danny was the ultimate coach in showing by example. The year Roger [Welch] won the National Championship in 2002, Coach Williams won the Coachs Tournament which is held before the student athletes compete. So CSM swept the national championship that year, said CSM Student Life and Athletics Lead Director Michelle Ruble.
Calendar Listing
CSM Foundation Golf Classic. 7:30 a.m., Aug. 13, Swan Point Yacht & Country Club, Issue. The College of Southern Maryland Foundation presents the annual Golf Classic tournament with Marrick Homes in its 14th year as tournament sponsor. Proceeds to benefit CSM athletics and student scholarships for credit and workforce development programs. Sponsorships available. Deadline for golfer registration is Aug. 1. 301-934-7647. erika.abell@csmd.edu or http://www.csmd.edu/Foundation/GolfClassic.