Portage Chamber of Commerce Brings 33rd Annual Spring Swing Golf Outing Closer to Home

Portage Chamber of Commerce Brings 33rd Annual Spring Swing Golf Outing Closer to Home

For the first time, Spring Swing was held at Portage golf course Robbinhurst, since most of Chamber businesses and members call the city home.

Executive Director Nancy Simpson said the Chamber board is excited to keep the event in the area.

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Approximately 110 golfers participated in the outing, up from 83 last year and 60 the year before.

“I think we got a great turnout because its local, and it’s such a beautiful day,” Simpson said.

In addition, moving Spring Swing from a Monday to a Friday seemed to benefit numbers because, Simpson said, “It’s the end of the work week, and people saw it was going to be a beautiful day.”

For a new activity, the Chamber introduced a Putting 50/50 where golfers could buy a ball and putt alongside all other entrants for a chance to get their ball in the hole and win half of the activity’s earnings.

The improvements were supervised by first-year Chair of the Chamber golf committee, James Hazzard, who also serves as President Elect for the Chamber. Last year, he was assistant chair and says he plans to continue involvement in the coming years.

“I’m just happy that everybody signed up and everybody from portage is getting together to play some golf,” Hazzard said.

Mike Sarver, Board president, anticipated the day as one for meeting people and having fun.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for people to meet new people, businesses to get acquainted with each other, and it’s a good day to get together and have a good time,” Sarver said.

Simpson looks forward to similar opportunities.

“[My favorite part is] getting to interact with all the members on a personal level,” Simpson said. “Usually when I’m interacting with them, it’s at a luncheon and I’m up talking. Now I can talk to them one-on-one and I can go visit them at the hole in a more relaxed setting.”

Many local businesses and organizations sponsored the event, including Harbor Buick, who offered a new car to a golfer who could get a hole-in-one on the hole the car dealer was sponsoring.

Others had involvement with basket raffles and Wheel of Fun prizes.

“I thank everyone who donated a prize, and I thank everyone who came out today,” Simpson said.