How a sold-out community tradition is rallying local businesses, funding hundreds of thousands in classroom grants, and ensuring Murray teachers and students have the tools to thrive.
Every August, as the summer heat begins to blend with the crisp anticipation of a new school year, a distinct transformation takes place at the Lynn F. Pett Murray Parkway Golf Course. This isn’t just any Friday morning on the green. This is the Murray Education Foundation’s (MEF) Annual Golf Tournament—a storied tradition that has served as a cornerstone of the Murray community since 1999.
Now entering its 28th year, the event has grown from a simple tournament into a powerful engine for local education. To date, tournament proceeds have quietly funded 1,802 classroom grants totaling $583,000. But the real impact isn’t measured in dollars; it’s measured in the tens of thousands of Murray students whose lives have been enriched by the innovations these grants fuel. From funding immersive field trips and welcoming expert visitors into the classroom, to providing specialized activity supplies that spark a lifelong love of learning, the tournament directly supports the foundation’s core mission: elevating the student experience while taking the pressure off dedicated Murray teachers who routinely face limited funding sources.
“We all remember that one teacher who made a difference, that specific lesson that changed our perspective, or that unique moment that sparked a vision of who we could become,” explains Doug Perry, MEF Executive Director. “That is what this tournament is really about—giving today’s students those exact same life-changing opportunities.”
This year, an impressive roster of top-tier sponsors has stepped up to anchor the event. Leading the charge are Diamond Sponsors Hughes Construction, Naylor Wentworth Lund, and Hogan Construction, alongside Platinum Sponsor Banterra Bank. They are flanked by Gold Sponsors Granite Credit Union, Intermountain Health, BDK Construction, VCBO, and Cypress Credit Union, as well as dedicated specialty event sponsors like BHB Structural (Drink Cart), Bryson (Breakfast), Robert Day Real Estate (Lunch), and Performance Honda (Hole-in-One).
The enthusiasm for this year’s tournament is palpable—so much so that all player spots and team registrations (including the playing slots tied to the specialty packages) completely sold out months in advance. Beyond the 18 holes of friendly competition, participants will enjoy generous vendor swag bags, four to five unique hole contests, cash prizes for the top three lowest-scoring teams, and an extensive drawing featuring over 80 high-value prizes. Early in-kind donors like Traeger Grill, Scheels, Sodexo, HB Boys (Burger King), and Einstein Bros. Bagels have already stepped up to ensure the prize tables are loaded.
However, the foundation emphasizes that you don’t need to swing a club to be a champion for Murray’s youth. Because the ultimate goal is supporting the classroom grant program, the foundation is still actively welcoming non-playing Diamond, Platinum, and Gold Major Sponsorships from businesses looking for high-level print and digital recognition without fielding a team. For individuals and smaller organizations, Direct Contributions (in amounts like $500) and further In-Kind Contributions are still being accepted to directly impact the upcoming school year.
As Murray prepares to kick off the 2026-2027 academic calendar, MEF’s Annual Golf Tournament stands as a beautiful reminder of what can be achieved when a city rallies around its schools. It’s more than a game of golf—it’s an investment in the next generation of Murray leaders.
To secure a non-playing major sponsorship, arrange a direct contribution, or coordinate an in-kind contribution, visit the foundation’s event page at https://bit.ly/MurrayGolf2026. A waitlist is also available via the link for teams hoping to secure a playing spot in the event of a last-minute cancellation.
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