Todd Mandeno loves handing money to the Chatham-Kent Hospice just about as much as introducing friends to skeet shooting.
For seven years, Mandeno has hosted his Guns and Golf event, which combines time at a shooting range with time on a golf course.
“I started it to give friends who don’t partake in the shooting sports the chance to come on a licensed gun range with licensed gun owners to have a chance to try it,” he said of trap shooting.
The participants shoot in pairs at the Rondeau Rod & Gun Club and then play nine holes in a best ball scramble at Willow Ridge Golf and Country Club.
The funds raised go to charity, specifically the hospice. To date, Mandeno estimates he’s given the charity about $8,000.
“Everyone who goes to our event – in some way, shape or form – knows of someone who has used the hospice,” Mandeno said.
As for how the skeet and golf scores are combined, he said if a shooting pair misses a trap “bird,” that’s a penalty stroke to their golf score. When a clay pigeon is sent into the sky, the first member of the pair gets a shot to try to take it down. If they miss, and only if they miss, the second person can try to hit the clay bird. If either one hits, there is no penalty. And if the second person shoots before the first team member does, it’s also a penalty stroke.
Mandeno started the event with 20 participants. It doubled to 40, then Covid hit. Participants returned en masse after the lifting of pandemic restrictions. He has 76 signed up to take part this year on Sept. 30.
