Ditto-Sapp helps raise money for Joplin Golf Association's junior golf program

Jan. 3—It takes place each year in late August or early September, and has for about the past decade and a half, but the effects of the Ditto-Sapp Memorial Pro-Am last well after the final putt drops.

The tournament has been the largest fundraiser for the Joplin Golf Foundation's junior golf program, Tee It Up, which provides clubs and instruction for youth interested in the game of golf.

The program provides an avenue for kids to learn a sport that can last a lifetime and the funds from Ditto-Sapp help support the association's program for youth. In addition, funds from the tournament also support scholarships for young golfers. Last month at Briarbrook, Hobbs Campbell, Jacob Teeter and Dylan Bozarth were awarded $500 scholarships by Rick Utter on behalf of the Joplin Golf Foundation.

Those long-reaching effects are what make the Ditto-Sapp so special in the eyes of those participating; each entry fee helps instill the love of the game in area kids who might not otherwise be exposed to golf.

What is now the Ditto-Sapp Pro-Am has been named so for about 16 years, but the tournament actually began decades earlier. According to Joplin Golf Foundation President Greg Crawford, the tournament was started by Kent and Mark Eastman 50 years ago to honor their uncle, Art Wadkins, a former Twin Hills pro.

Crawford said the Art Wadkins tournament ran for about 25 years before the Eastmans stepped down. He said during the Wadkins era, half of the proceeds from the tournament were given to the University of Missouri and the remaining half to Missouri Southern State University.

Crawford said the tournament was later called the John Duffy Memorial before becoming the Ditto-Sapp, in honor of Dennis Ditto and John Sapp, who were both popular dentists who died within a few years of each other.

After expenses, Crawford said last year's Ditto-Sapp raised $9,050.

Crawford said the money from the tournament has sometimes sat unspent, something he hopes to change.

"The money is given to the Joplin Golf Foundation," Crawford said. "The mission and purpose of the Joplin Golf Foundation is to support, promote, advertise and do whatever it can for junior golf in the area. For about the last five years, nothing has been done for junior golf."

Crawford said the people who play in the tournament need to know their money is "not just going down the drain."

He also said that because of some of the unused funds, the Foundation has about $65,000 now.

He said he is grateful to the Ditto-Sapp tournament committee for the financial support it provides to the Joplin Golf Association. Some of the money from JGA also helps fund Horton Smith and other men's, women's and junior matches.

Crawford said the JGA will be sponsoring a junior golf program this summer at Range Line Golf to introduce kids to the sport. He said JGA has a cargo trailer with about 1,500 golf clubs.

"There are all sorts of different lengths," Crawford said. "In years past, the kids would show up and actually get a golf club. You show up, whether they are seven years old, or 12, or whatever, and we put you in groups and for an hour or an hour and a half let you hit balls and talk to you about golf."

He said volunteers will help kids learn fundamentals in hopes of introducing them to the sport. Crawford said he expects the program to probably run once a week on Mondays on June. He said Mondays are good because that is a good day to draw volunteers from the Joplin golf community.

"I want to thank the Ditto-Sapp Committee," Crawford said. "The Joplin Golf Foundation is largely supported by tournament and there will be a summer golf program this summer at Range Line Golf."