Registration is currently underway for the 2019 Lions Club Golf Tournament, an annual fundraiser that allows the club to give to local and national charities related to eyecare.

The golf tournament is scheduled for Sept. 5 at Highland Country Club. The tournament format will be four-person teams with handicap adjustments to team score. Male players 65 and over allowed to play from the senior tees and ladies can play from the forward tees.

“The golf tournament I would say makes up a good probably one-third of our annual budget, so it is a big fundraiser for us,” said Lindsay Fenn, president of the LaGrange Lions Club. “It is one of the more important fundraisers that we do. It is a long-standing fundraiser, and we are completely nonprofit, so every bit of money that we get that we earned, we distribute it out to all of these different charities locally, and some are national.”

According to information from the club, the LaGrange Lions Club has given more than $200,000 to local charities in recent years. Some of the charities the club supports include Troup Cares, Leader Dogs for the Blind, Lions Camp for the Blind in Waycross, Georgia, Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, Veterans Administration (volunteer van drivers), Boy Scouts, LaGrange Personal Aid, the Salvation Army and the Sheriff’s Home.

“Our main goal is vision and vision related things such as diabetes,” Fenn said. “So, our biggest charities are going to center around vision issues. We have two local optometrists who do glasses for people based on the money that we give them. They do have to qualify to receive [glasses].”

Last year, Rest Assured Group No. 1 came in first, Towne Fitness placed second and Cottle and Baker finished in third. The tournament raised $18,000.

“The golf teams always have a great time,” Fenn said. “It is usually pretty hot in September, so we have a golf cart that drives around and gives out drinks and plays some music. Everybody always has a great time.”

Fenn said tournament participants have fun off the green as well.

“They have always enjoyed it,” Fenn said. “We always have so much fun. We get so many great raffle donations — Costa sunglasses, fly fishing rods, handcrafted knives …  We’ve got this year two three-day beach trips, so the raffle is great.”

Registration is available for teams, individuals and sponsors, and registration forms can be turned into Lions Club members.

On Sept. 5, registration will begin at 11 a.m., and lunch will be provided before the tournament begins at 12:30 p.m. A buffet dinner will be served during the awards ceremony after completion of play. Prizes will be awarded to teams as well as individuals for closest to hole, longest drive, straightest drive and hole-in-one. 

For more information, contact a local Lions Club Member.