Camdenton man raises money with marathon day on the course
by Paul Newton | pnewton@ruralmissouri.coop
A lot of people look forward to golfing in their retirement. How much golf is too much golf might be a personal preference. Some might hit the links five times per month. Others are lucky enough to chase around a little white ball five times a week. But for one day each summer, a Camdenton man completes those five rounds before lunch.
Scott Wingert will complete his Longest Day of Golf for the third consecutive year on June 9. When the sun rises at 5:48 a.m. in Camdenton, Scott will tee off at Lake Valley Golf Club, raising money for the Lake of the Ozarks Idiots Club, a nonprofit organization that donates funds and items for local children in need.
Scott became involved with the Idiots Club — whose name is solely meant to grab your attention — through his wife, Dawn. She helps purchase items the club donates to local children, such as art supplies, new shoes and clothing, hygiene products and much more.
“It’s a good club and I believe in what they’re doing. I wanted to figure out something I could do to help these Idiots,” the Southwest Electric Cooperative member says with a smile. “It’s a painless thing for me to do and hopefully we can raise a few thousand dollars every year.”
The premise is simple. Scott solicits up-front donations before his marathon day or gets pledges from people to donate a certain amount of money for every hole of golf he plays. He played 90 holes in 2023 and 109 in 2024.
“I don’t anticipate reaching 109 holes this year, but you never know, it depends on the day,” says Scott. “I’ll be 64 by the time it comes around. I just want to get through it and play as much as I can.”
The logistics of playing that many rounds of golf are simple but important, according to Scott. He plays at nearby Lake Valley Golf Club, a fairly open course with little water. “If there’s no one in front of me, I can buzz around here in 90 minutes or so,” he says.
Scott then picks a Monday — typically the slowest day at a course — close to the summer solstice to maximize his daylight time on the links, especially early in the morning. He’s sure to get good sleep the night before, drink plenty of water and start as soon as the sun allows.
Scott scoots around the course quickly, especially before other golfers show up. In 2024, he began his second round at 7:05 a.m., third at 8:25 a.m. and fourth at 9:45 a.m. He plays the ball into the cup on every hole and records his score. He keeps his golf glove on while on the green and doesn’t spend much time vacillating over his putting lines. He’s not deliberate, but he’s not speed golfing.
“It’s real golf, I just walk up and hit and move on to the next shot,” says Scott, who recorded his third career hole-in-one in late April. “If I tried sprinting or going any faster than I do, it wouldn’t end well.”
He’s hoping to play a little more efficiently this year with the help of someone driving his golf cart for him.
One thing out of Scott’s hands is the weather. The weather was mild this past year when Scott finished his 109 holes — six full rounds and a bonus hole while driving his cart back to his car. He wasn’t so lucky in 2023, when the temperature forced him into the swimming pool between rounds to get his body temperature down.
He usually wraps up his day of golf mid-afternoon as the course gets busier and temperatures rise. Last year, when he returned to the clubhouse, he found a few hundred dollars donated by members.
The Wingerts moved to Camdenton from Iowa after Scott retired from a career in printing and newspapers. He still runs an internet business, but says his specialities are now golfing, fishing and socializing. “Doing this is a small way I can do my part, and support my wife too,” he says. “She gives a lot, and the Idiots Club is important to her.”
Scott can’t say enough about the good work the Idiots Club does in the Lake of the Ozarks area. The all-volunteer organization has spent more than $1.5 million on more than 63,000 kids since its founding in 2014.
“I’m glad when I’m done, but I’m glad to do it,” Scott says of his day on the links. “We have a lot of wealth in this area, but we have a lot of poverty, abject poverty. Kids are living in cars or getting their laundry done at school or might need more food at home. It’s just a huge need for these kids and I’m happy to help the Idiots Club in this small way.”
For more information on Scott’s Longest Day of Golf and to donate, visit lakeoftheozarksidiotsclub.org.