Night Golf event to benefit Students' Fund of Hope

Clifty Creek Golf Course will be aglow with more than 2,000 LED stakes as area residents gather for a fun evening of glow-in-the-dark golf beginning at 9 p.m. Friday to benefit the Students’ Fund of Hope.

The Students’ Fund’s night golf event debuted nearly five years ago and it remains a popular event, says Whitney Budd, co-founder of Students’ Fund of Hope.

This year, for the first time, the event is being held twice.

Originally, the May fundraiser was such a resounding success that it brought in more than $8,000. So, this weekend, at the behest of the public and fans of the event, the Students’ Fund is hosting a second night time golf event that they hope not only raises additional funds, but introduces more new players to the popular fundraising event.

‘We do several events throughout the year,” says Stephanie Long, co-founder of the Students’ Fund of Hope. “Some of our events are aimed at raising money and others are centered around doing something good for the community and the students.”

Long says the idea for the event was to offer something a little different from the ordinary golf outings.

“We wanted to do something that not everyone did and we came up with the idea to do night golf,” Long says. “It has been a huge success. Clifty Creek Golf Course has been a huge supporter of our organization and they are just very accommodating and easy to work with for night golf.”

Setting up for the event takes a little time, but once all the LEDs are placed the ambiance it gives makes the effort worth it, Budd says. Part of that preparation includes placing more than 2,000 LED stakes, little more than one dozen LED flags and making sure all the LED golf balls are ready to roll.

” When you look out there [at the golf course] it looks like an airport runway,” Budd says. “It is so cool and everyone has a good time.”
Budd adds that many golfers are worried they are going to lose their ball before the game is done, but there’s no need for concern, she says.

“It is so bright it is actually easier to see the LED golf ball than a normal white ball in the daytime,” she says. “As soon as the ball is hit, the LED light stays on for 10 minutes.”

Friday’s adult-only event, which will serve alcohol, is offered as a traditional golf scramble that is open to 16 teams each with four players, Long adds.

Registration is $60 per person. Organizers encourage early registration, but say golfers can sign up the evening of the event.

“We try to not do adult only events,” Long says. “But with this one it is hard to keep kids away from where the alcohol is being served.”

Typically, the way the evening unfolds is attendees will arrive about one hour before dark and since it is later in the season that means golfers can be on site and registering as early as 7:30 p.m., Long says.

“They can socialize and mingle and when it gets dark enough we will kick off the golf about 9 p.m.,” Long says. “It usually takes two to three hours to golf the course. It is walking only, which some people don’t like, but we decided driving golf carts on the course at night with no lights is not a good idea, especially when people are drinking.”

All proceeds from Night Golf will benefit the Students’ Fund of Hope.

“It is a really fun adult time,” Long says. “It is a lot of fun to see people in the community that you might not normally interact with, to see them out on the course having a good time, enjoying their company and doing something they don’t do every day.”

Founded in 2018, the Students’ Fund of Hope is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that works to help Flat Rock-Hawcreek students and their families who may be facing financial hardships. The organization assists in making sure students have access to the necessities they need, as well as resources to support their emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing.

For more information about Night Golf or to register a team, contact Whitney Budd at [email protected] or visit StudentsFundOfHope.org.