Game time is Saturday, but an advance group of only members will be teeing off Tuesday for the Baguio Apache Annual Golf Tournament at the Baguio Country Club golf course.
Apache chief Jonathan Vergara said that the 11th staging of the annual golf event will be bigger and stronger forcing the group to have its member play earlier than the scheduled Saturday proper tournament.
In announcement to all Apache members, Vergara said: “All Braves (Apache member are called) joining will still be eligible to win the tournament on April 1, except for special holes (nearest the pin, longest drive and most accurate).”
He likewise said that all those who will join the all-Apache games Tuesday “are requested not to lay anymore on Aril 1. This is to decongest golfer traffic and lack of BCC caddies on main tournament day.”
The Apache players were then asked to buy their ticket and join the fellowship with drinks and snacks after the game.
Already enlisted for tomorrow’s re-tournament event are Vergara, past chiefs Rocky Runez and Rommel Alcid as well as former councilor and Fil-Am golf champion Bong Mandapat.
This year, Vergara said that the Apache “intend to make it a notch better and stronger this year with more sponsors signing up for the event for a cause endeavor,..”.
This year and with him at the helm, indigent cancer and hemodialysis patients are among the beneficiaries.
He said: “Our beneficiaries this year are indigent cancer and hemodialysis patients, among other individuals who are in dire need of financial assistance for their medical needs.”
He added: “A lot are in store as well for avid golfers joining the tournament as awards, trophies and great raffle await par busters joining the event.”
The event presented by the Baguio Water District and One Lending will use the System 36 for classification and the Molave scoring system. It is open in men’s A, B and C and ladies divisions with BCC members paying PhP1,200 to join and PhP2,500 for non-members. The ticket entitles players to a raffle and dinner during the awards later in the day.
Mulligan tickets will also be sold during competition day, added Vergara.
The event was started in 2011 under then chief Art Bueno, son of former councilor lawyer Conrado, the oldest living member of the organization who joined in 1951, a year after his four older brothers were inducted as members. His older siblings include Ernesto and Cesar, two generals with the former as a one-time city mayor.
The 2011 Apache golf, which proceeded despite typhoon Falcon making a landfall, started another tradition for the all-Baguio boys club when it became an annual event but was disrupted in 2020 and 2021 due to the lockdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was resumed last year when more than 100 participants joined the event in another banner year for the organization named after one of the most famous of Native American tribes.
Founded in 1939 by brothers Francisco and Ricardo and their friend Ricardo Chan, the Apaches has been home to the city’s sons of pioneers and outstanding citizens. Francisco became a city police chief and in 1986 the acting mayor, while his brother became a lawyer and former councilor. Pigeon Lobien
