Businesses Hit the Links at Chamber’s Inaugural B2B Golf Classic

The Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce hosted their inaugural golf tournament, the B2B Golf Classic, on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at the Mount Anthony Country Club in Bennington, Vermont.

What started off as a rainy, cool morning turned to a perfect sunny fall day as over 40 golfers hit the greens for a shotgun start at 12:30pm.

The Chamber of Commerce invited the public and business leaders to enjoy an afternoon of golf and networking while taking in the fresh Vermont fall air. The event served as a day out of the office and an opportunity to network with local business people in a beautiful, relaxed setting. Additionally, the event served as a fundraiser for the chamber of commerce.

“We have had a golf tournament in mind for a couple of years now,” commented Matt Harrington, executive director of the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce.  “The COVID pandemic, moratorium on festivals that generate revenue for us and having golf be one of the few safe events we can host, now was the time to create the B2B Golf Classic.”

The B2B Golf Classic (or Business To Business Golf Classic) was an 18 hole golf scramble.  Participants enjoyed their eighteen holes with carts, a golfers’ gift, lunch in the clubhouse and a networking mixer with Hors D’ Oeuvres and a cash bar afterwards.

Contests at the tournament included a Hole-in One with a $10,000 prize sponsored by The Richards Group. Longest Drive for Women competition went to Lynn Green of the Four Chimneys Inn and the Longest Drive for Men went to a player from The Richards Group. Taking home the prize for Closest To The Pin was also a player from The Richards Group.

Up for grabs for the teams at the B2B Classic - the coveted B2B Cup - a die cast with nickel plated trophy on a wooden base provided by Tomasi’s Sports and Awards. The Cup went to first place winners The Richards Group team.  The winning team also received a 4-player pack to Mount Anthony Country Club donated by the Club and a $50 gift card provided by Bennington Potters to each player. Second place winners were the Ramuntos, Buckstop, Avocado Pit team which received $200 worth of donated gift cards to The Publyk House.  Third place winners were the Suburban Propane team which received 4 bottles of Cremant De Limoux sparkling wine and chocolate from business member couch + cork.  

Other participating business teams included: The Four Chimneys & Knotty Pine team, Bennington Cooling and Heating team, The Inn at Manchester team, William C Deveneau, ESQ. PLC team, Lynch & Simmons team, Mount Anthony Country Club team, and the Baker team.

Harrington added, “We think the passing of the cup creates some of the fun from tournament to tournament!  Each season we have the B2B Classic, a new team will win the coveted B2B Cup and with that the business name and season they won will be immortalized on a plaque on the Cup.  The next season, if a new team wins, the Cup gets passed along to that team with their names going on the cup.  Each winning team can place the cup at their place of business until the next classic. Just some fun, friendly competition and a few new traditions.”

Sponsors of the Classic included Presenting Sponsor Ramuntos, The Buck Stop and The Avocado Pit.  The Bennington Banner was the official Media Sponsor, The Bank of Bennington was Par Sponsor,  The Inn at Manchester was Hospitality Sponsor, and Hoffman Real Estate was Putting Green Sponsor.  Tee Sponsors include: Uncle Bob’s Septic, People’s Bank, Four Chimneys Inn, GSS Fire Extinguisher, Senator Brian Campion & Dick Sears, Henry’s Market, WT Martin Plumbing and Heating, GVH Studio, Complete Bookkeeping, couch + cork, White Rocks Design, WBTN Radio, DB McKenna & Co., TPW Real Estate, William C. Deveneau, ESQ. PLC, Williams Financial LLC, Bennington Express Lube and The Rowley Agency.

A special thank you to Hannaford Supermarket, Church Street Hospitality & The Publyk House, couch + cork, Bennington Potters, Vermont Confectionery, Bayada, Anonymous, Mistrals, Tomasi’s Sports and Awards, The Richards Group, The Equinox Resort, Maru Leon Design, and of course the host, Mount Anthony Country Club. 

“It was amazing to see the diversity in sponsorship and help for this tournament,” remarked Harrington. “It should also be noted that the Mount Anthony Country Club donated the lunch and waived additional fees.  This was a good fundraiser for us and we look forward to offering the second installment of the B2B Classic in Manchester, Vermont sometime this coming spring.”

All proceeds went to the chamber of commerce as a fundraiser for future program and business development. 

The Chamber’s B2B Golf Classic Committee is made up of chamber staff members Matt Harrington, Erika Floriani and Mikaela Lewis, as well  Board Directors Matt Willey, Maru Leon Griffin, and William Deveneau.

To learn more about the Classic or register for the next one visit: www.SWVTChamber.com/golf