It’s finally here! For the 22nd year! It’s TrueNorth GCRO Week!
After practice rounds on Monday, the annual TrueNorth Greater Cedar Rapids Open, presented by UFG Insurance, will officially kick off Tuesday, July 20 with the first of our two pro/ams and some FREE AND FUN kids activities at Hunters Ridge Golf Course in Marion.
The first Dave Wright Nissan Subaru Pro/Am tees off at 1 p.m. Prior to that, several competing pros and the Hunters Ridge staff will be the instructors at the Culver’s Junior Golf Clinic at 10 a.m. This is free to all kids. Get some great pointers and help from some kid-friendly pros and staff! There will probably be some giveaways too!
Then stick around for more fun at the fourth Coca-Cola Mascots Putting Challenge at 11 a.m. Mascots who are scheduled to appear include Mr. Shucks from the Cedar Rapids Kernels, defending Challenge champ Ricochet from the Cedar Rapids Roughriders, Scoopie from Culver’s Restaurants and of course, the host, the Coca-Cola Polar Bear. They will be competing in a putting battle royal with help from the children in attendance. It’s a great time for all involved and again, it’s FREE.
After all the festivities of the day, the pro/am participants are invited to sit back and discuss their rounds at the Cool-Off Reception. This ticketed event will be held at approximately 6:30 p.m. at the Hunters Ridge Lodge and will feature beer, wine and soda as well as appetizers provided by Granite City Food & Brewery. It will be a great time to sit back and relive some of the shots of the day!
On Wednesday, the second Dave Wright Nissan Subaru Pro/Am goes off at 10:30 a.m. That is followed later in the day by the annual Granite City Food & Brewery Pro/Am Dinner Party. The event, from 5:30-8 p.m., brings together all the professional and amateur golfers, all of our wonderful sponsors and GCRO committee members in a celebration of friendship and hard work. This is also at the Hunters Ridge Lodge!
Finally, the official 54-hole tournament itself kicks off at 7 a.m. Thursday off both the Nos. 1 and 10 tees. Approximately 120 pros are scheduled to tee it up. The pros will be competing for another $30,000 first-place prize and maybe a springboard to bigger and better things in their aspiring golf careers!
Action continues at 7 a.m. Friday with second-round play.
After cutting the field, the third and final round will be held Saturday with the leaders scheduled to go off at about 11 a.m. (check tee times later this week). The awards ceremony is tentatively set for about 4 p.m. and will feature not only the check ceremony, but the winner will be the second recipient of the Bob Brooks-Sam Farner TrueNorth Greater Cedar Rapids Open Memorial Trophy.
Admission is free all week.
Please come out and support this great community event.
The GCRO has given back over $205,000 to the community since its inception in 1999.
Come out and join us!