There are few people in the country that have the time and endurance to hit the links and play as many holes as possible from sunrise to sunset. There are even fewer people who can play 300 holes in one day.
While that may seem like a large number, some people have a set goal to play that many in one day. Their purpose is for pure recreation, but for people like Seth Ray, there is more meaning behind their drive.
Ray, the head golf professional at Stonehenge Golf Club is conducted an all-day golf marathon Monday at Stonehenge for charity.
His goal was to raise $8,000 for the Indiana Golf Foundation as well as the Warsaw Optimist Breakfast Club. The proceeds will go to the Gongaware Junior Golf Academy, Indiana Junior Golf Tour and scholarship funds for high school seniors pursuing a college degree.
At the end of the day, Ray fell short of his goal, but was still able to raise $4,000 and played 288 holes.
This is the first year that a fundraiser for the foundation has taken place at Stonehenge. However, this is not the first year that Ray has participated in a statewide charity week golf marathon.
Two years ago at Tippecanoe Lake Club, Ray and his former boss Nick Marucci helped raise $18,000.
Now that Ray has something set up in Warsaw, he was more than excited to take on this challenge with other golf pros like Marucci.
"I'm fired up about it," Ray said. "In my mind, I created a rivalry with my old bosses."
While he did fall short of his goals of $8,000 and 300 holes, Ray really didn't want to disappoint.
"I don't like to fail," Ray said. "I don't want to say I'll play 500 holes then play 200. I don't want to say I'll raise $8,000 then raise only $5,000."
All in all, Ray's ultimate goal was to help children.
"It's to help kids do great things in what I consider to be a great game," Ray said.
He was not alone in this marathon, getting help from people who put the flag out from the green, fixed divots and also selected clubs.
Pledges were assigned by categories such as the number of holes played, birdies and eagles made and number of rounds under par. Flat donations were also received.
Seventy percent of the funds raised will go to the Indiana Golf Foundation while the remaining funds will go to the Warsaw Optimist Breakfast Club.
