After 41 years the Mountain State Golf Classic is still going strong.
The event, which was formerly known as the Beckley Newspaper Invitational, will make its return to the area July 10-12.
“The BNI ran since 1980 and we took it over in 2017,” Ryan Neal, a member of the event’s committee said. “I was on the committee the last year it was the BNI, along with Mike Mays, so even though Beckley Newspapers ran it, they still had a couple of golfers on the committee. And in 2018 they just decided they weren’t going to do it. The publisher just decided not to do it and people weren’t happy. A lot of them were shocked.
“So Mike Mays was like ‘listen, we basically do everything anyways. We can do this without the newspaper,’ so we changed the name and this will be the fourth year we’ve done it.”
The tournament, which serves as a charity event and is presented in large part by Little General, will be played at Grandview, Stonehaven and the Cobb Course. Proceeds from the event will go to benefit the Senior Friends of Raleigh General.
“They’ve got about 2,000 active members here in Raleigh County community,” Neal said of the organization. “They donate time and money to all kinds of places including the Alzheimer’s Association and they do stuff with United Way. They do different things to raise money and then they spend that money locally. There’s a whole list of things they do and they just donate time and money to local events and charities. They help out with Theatre West Virginia, etc. We had given the money to the Alzheimer’s Association the last three years, but it would go to Charleston, so we decided this year to keep it even more local.”
On the golf side, the tournament is scored individually on stroke play with no team play, handicaps, captain’s choice, etc. Each day will feature a different course, adding to draw of it.
“That’s the uniqueness of this tournament, Neal said. “People love that you get to play three different courses over three different days. It’s not like a one-day golf event. But it used to be that there were so many people that they’d split them between courses and flip them each day. But it really took away from the tournament feel. And that’s why when I was on the committee back then I suggested we change it and they did the last year it was the BNI. It’s like a reunion for a lot of guys where they come back to the area for the event and get to see each other.”
As Neal noted the event features golfers from North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Georgia.
“I’ve got a few buddies that are coming in from out of town,” Neal said. “They all grew up in Beckley and live in Virginia up towards Richmond but they come back every year to play in it.”
It also features a few former champions and local legends in other sports such as former Beckley and Marshall basketball standout Tink Brown.
On the former champion side Mike Mays, who has won a record six times, will seek his seventh title. Davey Jude, who won in 2014, is expected to be back this year as well.
“We’ve got Kelly Shumate in it too,” Neal said. “He used to play in it as a kid and then got his pro status. Well now he’s back to amateur this year so he’s playing in it for the first time in about 15 years. And then you’ve got Davey Jude who also had his pro card but went back to amateur this year. It’s a strong field.”
Shady Spring product Landon Perry, who won in 2017, will seek his second title. He won’t be the only local kid looking for a repeat.
Todd Duncan, who graduated from Shady in May, is the reigning champion. Another win would be a perfect cap on a year that saw him guide the Tigers to the Class AA team title on the golf course, earn the individual championship, help Shady to its first basketball title and earn Class AAA second-team all-state captain honors on the court.
“He’s the defending champion and was only 17-years-old,” Neal said. “He was that young and beat all these guys that were like my age. He beat Jackson Hill who was a pretty good golfer and won in 2019. He beat Mike Mays who is maybe 53 or whatever and for him to come out in his first time playing in it and win it is pretty impressive, but this year he has a target on his back.”
As far as pairings go, participants are grouped with their friends in pairs of four the first two days. On the last day the golfers will be grouped according to their composite score with the lowest scores teeing off last, similar to a PGA event.
The tournament will also include live, electronic scoring for each player. Up to date results can be accessed at Lootpress.com.
“It’s all electronic all three days,” Neal said. “The cool thing is last year I birdied the very first hole. So we entered our scores. Glade set this up perfectly so it’s really easy. We entered our score for all four players in our group and you can go on your phone and check leaderboards. When I birdied the first hole I took a snapshot because for one hole I could say I was in the top three of a filed of 120 golfers. But anybody in the world can go on that link and check the scores.”
The Mountain State Golf Classic will begin on July 10 at Grandview. Admission is free of charge to those wanting to come watch. For a full list of tee times for the first two days, please see below.
Contact Tyler Jackson at tylerjackson@lootpress.com, call him at 304-731-5542 and follow on Twitter @tjack94
Mountain State Golf Classic
First Round and Second Round Tee Times
Saturday, July 10th at Grandview Country Club
Sunday July 11th at Stonehaven Golf Club
Tee Time Player Hometown
7:30 Rusty Ray, Mt. Hope, WV
7:30 Darrell Bailey, Beckley, WV
7:30 Rick Vass, Beaver, WV
7:30 Ted Upton, Alexandria, VA
7:40 Jon Forren, Christina, TN
7:40 Greg Simmons, Gastonia, NC
7:40 Roy Forren, Mullens, WV
7:40 Adam Rappaport, Gastonia, NC
7:50 David Crone, Beckley, WV
7:50 Brian Harmon, Piney View, WV
7:50 Jeff Hughes, Mossy, WV
7:50 Don Goins, Beckley, WV
8:00 Joe Ferguson, Louisburg, NC
8:00 Jimmy Tanner, Cherryville, NC
8:00 Steve Wrenn, Louisburg, NC
8:00 Rich Henn, Louisburg, NC
8:10 Steven Monk, Sophia, WV
8:10 Wayne Monk, Sophia, WV
8:10 Chris Monk, Beckley, WV
8:10 Alvin Jewell, Herndon, WV
8:20 Todd Griffith, Charleston, WV
8:20 Chad Griffith, Morgantown, WV
8:20 Eric Griffith, Raleigh, NC
8:20 Harold Griffith, Beckley, WV
8:30 Brandon Thompson, Daniels, WV
8:30 Ryan Murdock, Knoxville, TN
8:30 Will Ramey, Cool Ridge, WVÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 8:30 Adam Etris, Morgantown, WV
8:40 JR Scott, Beckley, WV
8:40 Kent Wimbish, Fairdale, WV
8:40 John Davis, Daniels, WV
8:40 Jay Brown, Shady Spring, WV
8:50 Chris Daniels, Beckley, WV
8:50 Nathan Daniels, Daniels, WV
8:50 Todd Duncan, Daniels, WV
8:50 Isaiah Zaccheo, Daniels, WV
9:00 Bumper Wright, Daniels, WV
9:00 Davey Jude, Teays Valley, WV
9:00 Ardie Jenkins, Beckley, WV
9:00 Drew Walker, Beckley, WV
9:10 Mike Mays, Beckley, WV
9:10 Stewart Myers, Beckley, WV
9:10 Kelly Shumate, Crab Orchard, WV
9:10 Tommy Depolo, Beckley, WV
9:20 Nick Mays, West Mansfield, OH
9:20 John Handy, Beckley, WV
9:20 Jordan Duncan, Caldwell, WV
9:20 Matt Tincher, Meadow Bridge, WV
9:30 Tim Erwin, Beckley, WV
9:30 David Cassis, Fayetteville, WV
9:30 Aaron Kemlock, Fayetteville, WV
9:30 Landon Perry, Daniels, WV
9:40 Jeff Miller. Daniels, WV
9:40 Don Jones, II Cool Ridge, WV
9:40 Tony Giles, Craigsville, WV
9:40 Gary Cooper, Daniels, WV
9:50 Gary Wharton, Summersville, WV
9:50 Alan Wharton, Columbus, OH
9:50 Robert Wharton, Columbus, OH
9:50 Randy Meadows, Summersville, WV
10:00 David Hill, Daniels, WVÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 10:00 Zan Hill, Daniels, WV
10:00 Charlie Houck, Daniels, WV
10:00 Butch Freeman, Daniels, WV
10:10 Jordan Meadows, Beaver, WV
10:10 Jason Meadows, Daniels, WV
10:10 Thomas Williams, Glenville, WV
10:10 Brian Ward, Daniels, WV
10:20 Chris Ward, Beaver, WV
10:20 Christian Ward, Beaver, WV
10:20 Mickey Carr, Oak Hill, WV
10:20 Mike Elliot, Statesville, NC
10:30 Nathan McKinney, Morgantown, WV
10:30 Buddy Crowder, Beckley, WV
10:30 Sonny Bivins, Marietta, GA
10:30 Rocky McKinney, Beckley, WV
10:40 Chris Mills, Sophia, WV
10:40 Dirk Snuffer, Beckley, WV
10:40 Randy Hart, Sophia, WV
10:40 Logan Smith, Beckley, WV
11:00 Jim Workman, Fairdale, WV
11:00 Gary Cook, Monroe, NC
11:00 Jody Belcher, Naoma, WV
11:00 Brandon Mickelson, Rock Creek, WV
11:10 Timmy Boggs, Beckley, WV
11:10 Greg Midkiff, Beckley, WV
11:10 Stewart Scott, Beckley, WV
11:10 Todd Albaugh, Beckley, WV
11:20 Brett Laxton, Pineville, WV
11:20 Michael Growe, Pineville, WV
11:20 Carson Proffitt, Camp Creek, WV
11:20 Grant Rosenbaum, Wytheville, VA
11:30 Corey Yost, Beckley, WV
11:30 Brett Gadomski, Beckley, WV
11:30 Brandon Mills, Salem, VA
11:30 Jeff Bragg, Beckley, WV
11:40 David Gorby, Mount Hope, WVÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 11:40 Tanner Vest, Shady Spring, WV
11:40 Stan Seldon, Beaver, WV
11:40 Jerry Prinzbach, Princeton, WV
11:50 Aaron Neal, Daniels, WV
11:50 Mark Blankenship, Charlotte, NC
11:50 Steve Davis, Beckley, WV
11:50 Drew Wallen, Philadelphia, PA
12:00 Ryan Neal, Beckley, WV
12:00 Brian Cullop, Roanoke, VA
12:00 Sherman Callahan, Roanoke, VA
12:00 Chris Whitley, Roanoke, VA
12:10 Jim Lilly, Midland, VA
12:10 Greg Lloyd, Manassas, VA
12:10 Eric Bishop, Shady Spring, WV
12:10 Dylan Dickins, Beckley, WV
12:20 Tink Brown, Beckley, WV
12:20 JT Bradley, Beckley, WV
12:20 Ed Campbell, Glen White, WV
12:20 Davon Morgan, Beckley, WV
12:30 Michael Powers, Huntington, WV
12:30 Mark Workman, South Point, OH
12:30 Pat Crickard, Mocksville, NC
12:30 JD Maue, Huntington, WV
12:40 Robert Henderson, Culloden, WV
12:40 Timmy White, Glenview, WV
12:40 Terry Caldwell, Barboursville, WV
12:40 David Wolfe, Hilton Head, SC