Next weekend, July 29 and 30, the quest for the Henryetta Cup will be held.
The annual event is a fundraiser and commemoration in honor of one of the finest golfers ever to come from the halls of HHS.
Jeff Lawrence was a two-time state golf champion in 1993 and 1994. He was still on the upward swing of his career when he died tragically in a car wreck along with golfing partner Johnny Moore.
The two-day tournament pays homage to Lawrence through the annual Jeff Lawrence scholarship funded by entry fees.
It is a ten-person team with each named Henryetta, Trosper, Seminole and Cushing.  They are in recognition of the golf courses Lawrence won his state championships and runner-up titles and his home course.
The golfers will be playing 27 holes on each of the two days with the format ranging from best ball to alternate shot or a scramble. The individuals get points for each match. “These are matches we normally don’t play and it is very competitive,” said HHS girls coach Dutch Vandenborn. Participants play up to their handicap.
“The winners get an expensive ceramic cup made in New York. We also have prizes for the closest to the hole, long drive and so on. They include televisions, sound equipment, drivers and putters and the like.”
Most of the participants are Lawrence’s former teammates or those who played against him in high school. “They come from all over Texas and Oklahoma for the two days,” Vandenborn said.
Hosted at the Henryetta golf course, the tournament is also aided by the Henryetta Chip-In-Club, the golf team boosters. They accept donations for sponsorships ranging from $50 to $500. Once again, those funds are put toward scholarships. Vandenborn said the sponsorship donations are tax deductible since the ChipIn-Club is a 501(c)3 organization.
“We give annual scholarships for the top golfers on the high school teams,” Vandenborn said. “If there are no seniors that year, we present the scholarships to another HHS senior.
The tournament is open to both men and women and interested golfers can get on a team up to the morning of the tournament. “There is a $150 entry fee and that pays for the course and golf carts. We have a lunch provided each day.”
This summer is the second time the tournament has been held this year in the year. “We normally play in November when the weather is cooler but that competes with the Oklahoma football schedule.”

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