Bruce Sutherland Memorial Golf Tournament features $10,000 hole-in-one, $1,000 putting contests

This year’s Bruce Sutherland Memorial Golf Tournament will be held Monday, May 15, at the Niagara Frontier Golf Club at 1058 Lake Road in Youngstown. The tournament is open to the public. Funds raised will go to the Historical Association and the Lewiston Museum, in addition to the VFW Downriver Post 7487 scholarship fund – two local causes Sutherland volunteered and worked for in the past. 

The tournament is limited to 120 golfers. Registration includes a chance to win $10,000 by making a hole-in-one on the 187-yard hole 13. Ladies will be teeing off at the 172-yard marker.

“Bruce Sutherland made several aces in his golfing career, so we’re hoping someone will be able to duplicate his success and walk away with the $10,000 prize,” tournament director and HAL President Ken Slaugenhoupt said.

Another aspect of the tournament is an unusually generous putting contest, open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Anyone can participate, and the general public is invited to come out and give it a shot. For a $20 donation (check or cash), putters will get four chances to sink a 35-foot shot. Everyone who sinks a putt will share equally in the $1,000 prize money. If only one player makes it, he or she will get the entire $1,000. layers can enter the putting contest as many times as they like.

No reservations are necessary for the putting contest. Volunteers will be there to help participants. One can bring their own putter and golf balls, or use those supplied by the club. No practice stokes will be allowed on the contest green.

The putting contest is sponsored by Tom Deal of Deal Realty, and the Simonson family – both close friends with the Sutherland family.

Sutherland was a retired Air Force colonel, respected community leader and former deputy mayor, who unexpectedly passed away in December 2021.

More information on how to participate and support the effort can be found online at historiclewiston.org, or by calling the Lewiston Museum at 716-754-4214. A dinner-only option is also available for those interested in celebrating Bruce’s life and legacy. Additional sponsors are also encouraged.