Having played golf since college, Derek McCarty knows how much fun participating in a golf tournament can be. With that in mind, he organized a tournament through the Lions Club of Mount Joy last year. The second annual tournament will be held on Friday, Sept. 16, at the Highlands of Donegal Golf Club, 650 Pinkerton Road, Mount Joy.

The tournament will be held rain or shine, with play beginning by shotgun start at 1 p.m. Golfers should arrive no later than noon to register. The tournament will operate in a scramble format, with teams of four golfers. Singles and doubles will be paired with other golfers, and participation is limited to the first 120 people who register. The cost of the tournament will include green fees, use of a cart, dinner, access to a practice range and prizes. Refreshments will be available in the pavilion and on the golf course during the round, and dinner will be served in the pavilion immediately following the tournament. Prizes, including cash and gift cards to the Highlands of Donegal Golf Club, will be awarded during dinner.

McCarty said the idea for the tournament originated with the Mount Joy Rotary Club, which held the event for many years. "I'm an avid golfer, and I played in their tournament for a number of years," he recalled. "They eventually stopped doing it because of a lack of volunteers. I knew that the Mount Joy community would come out and support an event like this, so I stepped in to help organize a new tournament." Last year's event raised $3,500 and featured participation from 60 golfers. "I'm hoping to get more than 100 golfers this year, and I'm also hoping to increase the number of sponsors," McCarty said.

Proceeds from the tournament will support a variety of community projects, he noted. "Last year, we donated two generators to Kentucky for hurricane relief, and we also support local organizations including the library and REYS." Other recent beneficiaries of the Lions Club of Mount Joy include Donegal Athletic Club, the Mount Joy Lions Swim Team, Lone Oak Animal-Assisted Therapeutic & Educational Services and the Fire Department Mount Joy.

McCarty encourages golfers of any ability to sign up for the tournament, noting that the event takes a unique approach to winning. "For your average weekend warrior, you might not have a chance to win anything in a regular tournament, but this tournament gives everybody a chance at winning something," he said, noting that prizes will be awarded to the top finishers as well as the top three finishers of a second flight when the field is cut in half by scores. "This tournament is a chance to get together with your friends, have a fun day and help support your community at the same time."

The registration deadline for the tournament is Monday, Sept. 5. For more information or to register, contact McCarty at 717-405-1881 or dmccarty72@gmail.com. The Lions Club of Mount Joy meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. For more information on joining the club, contact Harry Goehring at mountjoylions2@gmail.com.