Pro-Am hosting makes a difference

A few professional golfers needed a place to stay when they arrived for the inaugural Bella Vista Charity Classic Pro-Am five years ago and Bella Vista resident Gary Mertz and his wife Betsy opened their home for the golfers to stay.

Now, Mertz spearheads the annual effort to find as many host families as possible for the men and women professionals who come into town.

"Our first year, we didn't have any organization when it came to housing," Mertz said. "There were some guys who needed a place to stay, and my wife and I volunteered and that's how it started.

"I offered after that tournament to set up an organization for future tournaments to try to get more host families involved and it has taken off."

Mertz, who is a member of the Bella Vista POA golf committee, is already hard at work trying to secure enough beds for any of the approximately 250 golfers who will be coming to Bella Vista for this year's Charity Classic which begins June 22 with the pro-am at Highlands and Bella Vista Country Club.

"We have a lot of players coming in this year and a lot of them appreciate the ability to stay in a home setting," Mertz said. "I've already received commitments for 42 beds but are going to need a lot more.

"It's been encouraging to see all these hosts stepping up and offering their home up for a player or two."

Golfers participating in the Bella Vista Charity Classic are emerging professionals on the All-Pro Tour (APT) and Women's All-Pro Tour (WAPT) who often have a limited budget, according to Darryl Muldoon, the POA's director of golf operations.

"These are new and upcoming stars, fresh out of college trying to make a name for themselves and money is tight," Muldoon said. "They get a small budget to come out and play and their biggest expense is travel.

"Some of these golfers hit the road hard and may not see their home for months. So, staying with host families brings a home feel a lot more than a hotel does and it helps the young professional make it work financially."

Mertz agrees, saying the connection built with the golfers is why he enjoys being a host family.

"We have hosts who repeat and always request the same golfers if they are coming in for the tournament," Mertz said. "And we have golfers who reach out and ask if they can stay with the same host family as they did previously.

"During the tournament, the bond that is developed for the host and the player is quite special. The host gets to be involved with the player on a social level, maybe share breakfast, dinner, a little entertainment. A couple of years ago we hosted some players who just wanted to chill out a little bit and wanted to go fishing. So, we took them fishing for the evening."

Bonds become so tight that host families often follow the golfers for their entire tour, sometimes their entire professional career.

"Families stay in touch with the golfers through social media, email," Mertz said. "Last year we had players stay with us who said it was so nice to come into a home and have a dinner instead of staying in a hotel room where all they think about is golf and a particular shot they could have improved on. They get to be in a home atmosphere and relax and get their mind off golf for a bit."

Mertz said the requirement to be a host family is simple.

"All we ask is that they prepare a bed and a bathroom," he said, "and anything else they want to do as far as providing a meal such as breakfast or a dinner or entertainment is up to them."

In operation since 1994, the APT and WAPT partners with local non-profits to conduct professional golf tournaments in the mid-south region of the U.S. In addition to raising thousands of dollars each year for charity, these events provide an avenue for professional golfers to hone their skills while preparing for a life on the PGA and LPGA Tour.

The APT and WAPT currently conduct professional golf tournaments in Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas.

"This event is for the community and the community takes a lot of pride in that," Muldoon said. "I'll have members come up to me after the event each year and ask me if I saw the golfer who stayed with them made a cut in another tournament and made some money. They get excited and that's what this event is all about."

Anyone who is interested in learning more about being a host family can contact Muldoon at the Bella Vista Country Club or Mertz by emailing [email protected].