Every year for the past six, the Larry Taylor Memorial Golf Tournament has provided financial relief to families who are suffering medical hardships.
The tournament is held every year in conjunction with Farnam’s Founder’s Day Weekend.
Larry Taylor was a guy who loved to golf.
Even more than his love for golf was playing a round of golf with his best friend, Dutch Edson and spending time with his family and friends.
Larry lost his battle with lung cancer in 2014 and the following year, Dutch decided to launch a golf tournament to honor his friend’s memory.
The idea behind that tournament was two-fold: to do what Larry loved to do and to help people in the community at the same time.
The 2022 Larry Taylor Memorial Golf Tournament is scheduled for June 24 at Wild Horse Golf Course and this year will be one of the best yet.
The beneficiaries this year include Kristy Connolley who is battling cancer and Kristen Kotschwar, whose husband died very suddenly as a result of complications from Covid.
“We may have a couple more we make a donation to as well,” Dutch said.
The support from the tournament comes from a number of different places, all of which have been donations.
“We have had such a wonderful outpouring of support this year,” Dutch’s wife Kristi said as she clutched a red notebook. “They’ve called Dutch and asked, ‘what can I give you?”
From brisket donated by Smokin’ K to pork donated by Three Brothers Vineyard to Blackstone cookers, a DeWalt drill set, Husker tickets and more, the prizes for the event are taking up most of the space in Dutch’s man-cave.
That’s not all the tournament field will have in store for them.
Area golf courses have donated rounds of golf, as well.
Every donation, no matter the size or type, is recorded in that red notebook that Kristi started seven years ago to ensure they always had a record of those who have loved the community enough to help those who need it.
“We are so fortunate to have raised our children in this community,” Kristi said. “This town really surrounds the people who need help and we take care of each other.”
That’s what makes this tournament such a labor of love for the Edsons.
Because Dutch and Larry grew up in Farnam, the event is planned around Farnam’s Founder’s Day Celebration, which provides an opportunity for many who return home to not only participate in the tournament but also get together for one more round in Larry’s memory.
There is no shortage of stories Dutch could tell about his friend Larry.
The two have been best friends since high school and there weren’t many adventures that they didn’t embark on together.
Most of those adventures included a round of golf.
“Whenever we would go to football games, we went to Manango for a Farnam football game,” Dutch said with a sly look in his eye. “The women were in one car and they stuck me and Larry with the kids.”
“They gave all the kids a quarter if they’d stay quiet,” Kristi said with a laugh.”
Dutch and Larry also played softball in summer leagues.
“I was just thinking about the one softball game - we had a tournament we were playing in Farnam and it didn’t get done quite in time and we had to be over to a league game in Maywood,” Dutch said. “We were running a little late and they tried to make us forfeit. Larry is pretty vocal at times. He said some…choice words…and we wound up playing them in the tournament that weekend and kicking their rear.”
From raising kids to camping, softball and golfing, Larry and Dutch always found a way to have a great time.
And although most of the stories of their adventures aren’t the most fit for the retelling in this particular writing, one thing is for sure: Larry is smiling down and toasting to the efforts of his friends down here on earth.
As the 7th Annual Larry Taylor Memorial Golf Tournament weekend kicks off, Dutch and Kristi will take an opportunity to remember their dear friend and toast in his honor.
And inevitably, the weekend will end with Larry’s catch phrase: one more and we’ll all go.
If you are interested in donating to the Larry Taylor Memorial Golf Tournament, benefiting Kristin Kotschwar and Kristi Connolley, contact Dutch Edson at 308-529-3727.
