VALDOSTA —
The 73rd annual Jack Oliver Invitational tees off Friday at the Valdosta Country Club.
Like in years past, this year’s event will feature two flights for players. The Championship Flight is a three-day, stroke-play event where players compete in 54 holes across three days. The Stableford Flight is a two-day event, starting Saturday, and features competitors competing in a point-system, earning different point values for different scores on holes.
“(The Jack Oliver) brings a lot of money into Valdosta because people come in from all around,” said Johnny B. Lastinger, who played in the tournament for 32 consecutive years and has been associated with the event since 1950. “It is not as big as it used to be because tournament golf isn’t that big any more, but it is an awesome event. It always has been. I remember growing up and watching it. In 1940, when it started, I was eight. So I’ve watched it grow.”
The winner of the Championship Flight will be awarded the Frank Eldrige Trophy and their name will be engraved on the trophy for future years. Eldrige was a seven-time champion of the Jack Oliver Invitational.
This year’s tournament director is Nic Daugharty, a six-time champion of the tournament and a continuous participant since 1990.
“This golf tournament has been going on since 1940,” Daugharty said. “You’ve had people like Dynamite Goodloe win it nine times.”
This year’s event will benefit the Jack Oliver Memorial Scholarship Fund in partnership with the Valdosta State University Foundation.
“What I want to do is maintain that scholarship fund, even when I am gone,” said Oliver’s grandson, Jack Oliver. “We can raise money through contributions. Can you imagine Athens-Clarke County without the University of Georgia? Can you imagine Lowndes County-Valdosta without VSU? I just wanted to repay back the community for what it’s done for all of us. I want to support the local community as much as I can.”
Named after Jack Oliver, whose actual name was Warrington Maxwell Oliver, the Invitational has been running at the Valdosta Country Club since 1940. Prior to OIiver’s passing in 1940, the event was named the Valdosta Invitational Tournament.
Known for being a pioneer for the game of golf in and around Valdosta, one of Oliver’s main interests was getting more Valdosta natives to play golf. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Georgia State Golf Association.
“It is good the tournament has maintained,” said the younger Oliver. “And of course there are a lot of tournaments going on during the summer in South Georgia, and we have been fortunate to have a lot of help from our sponsors.”
After a few down years with participation, the Jack Oliver Invitational enjoyed a successful year in 2011, with 104 participants. This year, Daugharty is hoping the tournament eclipses last year’s mark. Interested persons looking to compete in this year’s event may still register by contacting the Valdosta Country Club.
Local Sports
73rd annual Jack Oliver tees off Friday
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