Silver Sunburst Scholarship Golf Tournament Helps Local Scholars
- Tim Elliott
- Aug 27
- 4 min read
(This article was written by Tim Elliott, Owner, Elliott’s Custom Golf and Chairman, Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Scholarship Tournament, and was featured in the September 2025 issue of Explore Harlingen Magazine.)
In the late 1980s, I became involved with Mike Callaway and Jim Russel. These men organized a golf tournament called the Southern Hackers Invitational Tournament. The goal was to create a good time for the golfers and put cash away, which would then be donated to a family in need such as those that had health issues and needed help with travel. Mike and Jim had already proven their ability to run the tournament. I was the new “golf guy” in town, having opened the doors to Elliott’s Custom Golf in 1988. The three of us led the Southern Hackers Invitational Tournament for years. Jim eventually moved out of town and then Mike passed on, which just left me.
Origin of the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Club
Sometime in the mid-1990s, I joined the Harlingen Rotary Club. After six (6) months or so, I realized leaving my business for a two (2)-hour lunch was not practical. I considered the West Cameron County Rotary Club, which was chartered in 1926 as the La Feria Rotary Club. The name was changed to Harlingen Sunburst Rotary, and a morning club was created. It was a small club when I joined, with maybe a half-dozen members. I remember meeting at the Koffee Klatch on Business 77, just down the street from my golf shop. Meeting time was 7 am and I could be a couple of minutes late for work and open by 8:15 am. That little Rotary Club had a great five (5)-member core, but we had no money. We had great ideas, but what could we do?
During one of those meetings, I reflected on the Southern Hackers Golf Tournaments and how we had made a bit of money. It had been a couple of years since the last tournament, and I had missed the fun. The idea was pitched to have a Rotary golf tournament to create funds to go towards helping those in need in the community. The West Cameron County Rotary Golf Tournament was born that morning 26 years ago.
Five members putting on a tournament was a stretch. Jim, Mike, and I had only been able to do it with help from a lot of friends. We made about $2,000 that first year. Back then, we thought we were rich. We made it last by spending a few hundred dollars at a time, helping other nonprofits in the community.
Evolution of the Club and Tournament Name
Many years later, our success impressed others as we grew to 12 members. We considered adding “scholarship” to the golf tournament’s name to illustrate to potential sponsors where the money would be going. Scholarships were to be awarded to graduating college-bound seniors. This was when the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Scholarship Golf Tournament was formed 25 years ago.
After the name change, our proceeds increased each year. One thing we always maintained as our focus was “the party has to be as good as the Invitation.” We needed to provide our golfers with a good time. I think we did, and we continue to do so. Our tournament has grown to 100+ players each year.
The annual golf tournament is a team effort. Over the past 24 years, nearly 99% of the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Club members have worked on the golf tournament. The only members who did not attend were either out of town or ill.
Scholarship Selection Process
We formed a scholarship committee to create a selection process, which has evolved over the years. Today, our process targets average scholars: those who might not have the highest GPA, but rather, donate their time through community service. This decision was made to provide more and different types of students with a chance to earn scholarships. Each July, the President and Board are elected and have the option to revisit the scholarship selection process.
As we began to increase our revenues, the scholarships grew from $5,000 to between $10,000 and $14,000, totaling well over $200,000 over the past 25 years. One hundred percent of the tournament proceeds go towards scholarships ($1,000 each). Attending the award ceremonies over the years and seeing the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Scholarship being awarded to so many deserving students has made me proud to be a Sunburst Rotarian.
What Can You Do to Help?
If you would like to help a student, here are some ways you can support us:
Donate any amount you choose via QR code
Donate any amount via check to Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Club
Become a sponsor by donating a door prize; sponsoring a hole or a green ($150); or being a Gold Sponsor ($500)
Participate in the tournament on September 6 ($125 for an individual or $375 for a team of three [3])
Donate your time to help us at the tournament on September 6
Become a member of the Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Club!
Our club is the warmest and friendly group of common folks you will ever meet, looking to make the world a better place, while still having fun. Try us; you will like us! (As one newcomer recently said, “I can’t believe I’m having so much fun at 7:30 in the morning!”)
25th Annual Harlingen Sunburst Rotary Scholarship Golf Tournament Saturday, September 6, 2025, 8 am shotgun Tony Butler Golf Course www.harlingensunburstrotary.org Facebook: @HarlingenSunburstRotary
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