Bar-Stool Open Golfers take to Punta Gorda Course One Bar at a Time

Well it's not totally unusual to see cars parked outside of the Ice House or the Slip Not early on a Saturday morning, but when we passed by Phil's 41 and saw the parking lot jammed with vehicles and noticed  groups of costumed adults trudging down 41 with golf clubs over the shoulders, we recognized this was not your ordinary Punta Gorda  Saturday morning -- the 4th Annual Bar Stool Open had teed off.

Along with many of the other teams with names like "Buzzing for Boobies," Carol Hiatt, Bar Stool Open organizer, and her team, "We're Saving Bobbies One Tee-Shirt at a Time" were at Phil's Saturday morning.   She shared a bit about the tournament while she waited for her putters to finish their round.   "Our goal this year is to raise $20,000 for Dollars for Mammograms," she told us noting that this year 116 teams had signed up.  Each participating group of four  contributes "green fees" of $100.

"Dollars for Mammograms helps uninsured or under-insured women get mammograms," Carol explained, adding that "all the money raised stays in Charlotte County to help women in this area who can't afford to get mammograms."

Since its inception in 2000, Dollars for Mammograms has enabled hundreds of women to obtain no-cost mammograms and, when medically necessary, no-cost compression mammograms and breast ultrasounds.   The Bar-Stool-Open sponsored by Girls Night Out has been raising money for this cause for 4 years -- and has supported hundreds of mammograms for women of Charlotte County.

Each of the holes on the mini-golf tour was set up in a bar in town that had set up a putting green.   Each team started at one of the participating taverns that included River City Grill, Jacks, Biehl's Slip-Not Lounge, Phil's 41, Beef O'Brady's, Deans South of the Border, The Celtic Ray, The Ice House Pub and Moosehead.   Whether they were dressed up as bees, pirates, butterflies or wore themed tee-shirts,  no matter, there were drinks to drink, golf to play and fun to be had all for a great cause.