#Events: Golf balls + Water + 90 hours = fish food

#Events: Golf balls + Water + 90 hours = fish food - A group of people standing on a beach posing for the camera - Water

The Upper Keys hosted the organized “on the water” golf tournament, known as the Conch Scramble last Saturday. The quirky, and Tiger Woods–free event is a 501(c)3 organization that makes grants to nonprofit organizations in an effort to enrich the quality of individual, family, and community life. With hundreds of participants in the golf event, as well as in attendance at the kick off party, this is one of the most successful fundraising events in the Keys providing some of the largest grants to local organizations. This year’s beneficiaries were Coral Shores and Plantation Key schools.

As a virginal attender, I can proudly say this is something every citizen of the Keys should experience before they die. There are no golf carts, caddies, or funny pants; rather teams of four golfers arrive at each port (golf greens were established in the water outside restaurants, and residences), with most dressed in some form of team costumes. Each player then received two shots at each of the floating targets (circular hoses). If a player did not make it in the target they were then offered, for a price, a mulligan enabling them to take one more shot. For even a seasoned golf pro, the balls proved to be the ultimate monkey wrench. The balls were on the hollow side because they are biodegradable — after 90 hours they turn into fish food.

With consumption of Jell-O shots before noon, and Fireball shots served from a luge inside a Christmas themed snow tent — our team did not end up placing, but considering all the fun we were having, it didn’t even cross our minds. At press time Conch Scramble raised $22,770. Congrats all!