From Peter Eagan

For the second season in a row a merry band of local golfers has converted their match wagering into a donation to the Holliston Food Pantry.

The unwieldly named Greater Holliston Senior Men’s Golf Association traces its beginnings back to the ‘90s and now comprises over twenty golfers from Holliston and surrounding towns with a wide range of abilities (handicaps range from 5 to 34!).

An award was presented to the final leader, the coveted Moneyball Trophy (below), consisting of a salvaged golf ball actually embossed with a Moneyball logo, tastefully mounted on a spray painted piece of discarded pallet wood. As if this were not enough, also awarded was a blue pennant with an embroidered gold dollar sign mounted on a rod suitable to be mounted on a golf cart and guaranteed to mislead the sharpest eyed course ranger into thinking it was a handicap flag.

The genesis for their generosity goes back to last year’s season dubbed “The 2020 Covid Tour” when it was inconvenient to exchange money or even linger after a round due to restrictions placed on golf course managers.

The group decided that all wins and losses would be tallied over the year with settlement deferred until the end of the season. Weekly cumulative results were published to the group. The resultant competition took on a life of its own that surpassed the individual contests by showcasing the glory of the money leaders and documenting the ignominy of the losers.

An unexpected result of all this folly was that the money winners decided not to take their winnings, but instead directed the losers to donate their share to charity. In settling on the food pantry as the designated charity, the winners ended up voluntarily contributing, as well.

This format proved so successful last year (over $500 donated) that it was decided to start it up again in 2021. This year’s contribution was in excess of $700 – was it more generosity or poorer golf?