BASF Chili Golf Open anything but typical
EVANS CITY — While the weekend gave a glimpse of warm weather rarely seen this winter, it hardly resembled conditions typically considered suitable for a round of golf.
Then again, there's nothing typical about the BASF Chili Golf Open at EDCO Park.
Golfers took to the nine-hole course Saturday in the fifth annual outing to raise money for the park, which includes the swimming pool.
“It never ceases to amaze me the generosity of people in Western Pennsylvania,” said John Rogers, the president of the EDCO Park Authority.
There were 65 items up for auction, including a football autographed by several Steelers and a Penguins jersey.
While fundraising was the goal of the event, it also served as an opportunity for the community to play an altered version of the popular sport.
Players used special foam balls to play the course.
“It's my favorite day of the year,” Rogers said. “This is the fundraiser everyone enjoys. And besides a fun winter activity, we also feed you chili.”
Andy Wagner of Evans City said the warm weather made for favorable playing conditions.
“We've had the whole gambit of weather in the past,” he said. “We've had everything from blizzards to mud and rain.”
However, the warmer temperatures did make the course tricky at times.
“The greens are icy and fast,” Wagner joked. “And the footprints are a little hard to play around. It's definitely winter rules today.”
Rich Szwaczkowski of Evans City said the chili open was not only fun, but also important to the community since it supports the park.
“Without the pool and the park, there's not a lot for kids to do around here,” the father of two boys said.
Szwaczkowski, the owner of Swiss Construction, built the warming shelter for the event, although it wasn't as vital as it was in past colder years.
He said he enjoys helping out at the open for the sake of the community.
“Everyone starts to get cabin fever by this point,” he said. “It's nice to get outside a little bit.”
While the event has become a popular spectacle for borough residents, it also draws in golfers from out of town.
Bill Sterf drove up from Pittsburgh to play.
“It's definitely unique,” he said. “It's a whole lot of fun.”
