May 10–GAUTIER — The weather was ideal on Saturday as golfers hit the fairway for the sixth annual Jolly McCarty Memorial Celebrity Golf Classic,
better known as “The Jolly” at Shell Landing. More than 250 golfers teed off for the 18-hole tournament that is aimed at raising money for local organizations. Organizers said this years gala held at the IP Casino Resort and Spa on Friday coupled with the golf tournament brought in more than $200,000 for local organizations such as the Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, Salvation Army, and a host of others. Named in memory of the late Jolly McCarty, the tournament draws hundreds of community and business leaders each year to the greens. The weekend event has been held for five years with companies from across the Coast participating. “This tournament is great fun even if you are not too serious about golf,” said Robert Stone, a participant at the tournament. “There are a lot of really good golfers here who are very tolerant to those of us nay sayers who do not play well or abide by the golfing rules well.”
The tournament and gala are the largest fundraisers of the year for the Bacot/McCarty Foundation. The foundation is the fundraising arm for numerous Jackson County charity organizations.