Tee-off time is nearly here as the Fort Dale Academy Athletic Club is preparing to host the annual Fort Dale Academy Golf Tournament on Saturday, May 7 at Cambrian Ridge.

The four-man scramble has changed little over the past decade or so, with registration beginning at 6:30 a.m. followed by a shotgun start at 8 a.m.

FDA Athletic Club member Lance Neven said that the event’s chief purpose is to fund the school’s athletics department, which includes all sports played at Fort Dale.

“Any time the athletic club does anything to raise money, it’s for all athletes,” Neven said.

“For example, Coach Speed, who’s the athletic director, came to me before our meeting this past Monday and said to me ‘hey, we need some equipment for the weight room.’ And I know immediately that that’s for every athlete in this school, because every athlete uses that weight room.”

Also, similarly to last year’s tournament structure, this year’s entry fee is $100 per player or team member, or $400 per team.

The entry fee includes 18 holes of championship golf, cart rental, range balls, use of the practice green, lunch during the awards ceremony and chances for door prizes.

The door prizes in particular, as well as the numerous gift bags courtesy of tournament sponsors, remains a particularly large draw.

“Basically, a business can sponsor a hole for $100,” Neven said.

“And some businesses will give us giveaways to put in a gift bag for all of the golfers.  Dr. Gardner is doing a pair of Costa sunglasses for the winner of closest to the pin for one of the holes.  That’s a minimum of $150 right there, depending on which pair of Costas he’s going to donate.

“And I know that Wintzell’s and other restaurants are going to do gift certificates.”

A birdie pack will also be available for $25, which includes two mulligans and a chance in the drawing for a Yeti cooler.

Team prizes will also be awarded for the top gross score and first, second and third-place net scores.

Though Neven said that the school stands to gain a great deal financially, he added that the golf tournament provides a bit more than that.

“It’s one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, and last year, we raised about $12,000,” Neven said.

“But what I personally like about it is that we don’t only get Fort Dale parents and their businesses involved, but we also get people who have sent their kids to the public schools also, and those businesses get involved in this event, too.  So it’s a true Greenville community event.”