Larry Green is one of about 25 people who will tee off in the Youth Commission of West Virginia's annual golf marathon, 100 Holes of Hope, where participants play 100 rounds of golf in a single day.
The marathon will take place Monday at Little Creek Golf Course in South Charleston.
Green is the executive state director of the Youth Commission and both an organizer and participant in the marathon. This is the third annual 100 Holes of Hope, and Green said the event is growing each year.
Last year, 18 golfers signed up, compared to just four the event's opening year. Green is expecting 20 to 25 this year, along with a number of new sponsors.
One hundred holes of golf in a single day may seem like a masochistic endeavor, but Green said it's not as bad as it sounds. While there's some mental fatigue around the 70th hole, he said, contributing to a good cause is more than enough to make up for it.
"There is a feeling of, 'I've had a challenge in front of me, and I'm trying to do what I can to help some folks,'" Green said. "There's a sense of accomplishment."
This sense of accomplishment keeps golfers coming back, Green said, with 17 of last year's 18 already signed up for this year's event.
Green said strategies for completing the marathon vary per person, but that he prefers to attack the holes quickly and efficiently to finish the challenge. Last year, he finished in seven and a half hours.
"I'm trying to survive," he said. "I'm just out there scooting through it and playing."
The competition comprises five, 18-hole rounds of golf, plus an additional 10 holes. Following each 18-hole round, Green said the participants golf two small holes, eventually resulting in a grand total of 100.
For those who still find 100 holes too daunting, this year's competition is offering a 50-hole option. This is a way for first-timers to cut their teeth, Green said, or for those who can't complete the 100-hole challenge due to health-related concerns.
"Some people who haven't done it in the past, we want to give them an option to see what it's like," Green said.
There is no entry fee, but each golfer is asked to meet a pledge goal of $1,000. All funds raised go to support future events of the nonprofit such as basketball camps, movie nights and an end-of-the-year bash.
Green said that the Youth Commission aims to help kids in West Virginia by curbing the influence of drugs and alcohol.
"It just seems like all the problems with drugs and alcohol and all the things that are going on, we're trying to give kids some positive stuff to do," he said.
Awards are given to the golfers who raise the most funds, said Green, with the grand prize being a stay at the North Beach Plantation in North Myrtle Beach. Car details and gift cards will be awarded as well. All participants leave with a T-shirt and a plaque that says "I Conquered the 100 Holes of Hope."
The Youth Commission will also have a golf scramble at 8:30 a.m. June 20. The cost is $125 per person or $500 a team.
Reach Jared Casto at
jared.casto@wvgazettemail.com,
304-348-4832 or follow
@JaredCasto on Twitter.