Golfers are a persevering lot. Faced with the normal hazards of the links lakes to cross, sand traps and, for those who dare to miss the fairway, deep rough with unfriendly snakes lurking therein they still love the challenge of driving a little ball hundreds of yards to its home in the middle of a four-inch cup.

The Seventh Annual Guy DeVito Golf Tournament that is becoming a GCIU tradition, drew 77 intrepid men and women to play for prizes, bragging rights, and personal pride.

Many of this year's golfers who participated in past tourneys were a bit impatient this year, since last year's tourney had to be postponed at the last minute when Hurricane Floyd hit the Carolina coastline and forced a mandatory evacuation of the area.

To show how eager GCIU golfers are, there were overheard stories of entrants resisting early calls to flee the dangerous weather system last year until all the area golf courses were closed down.

Right, GCIU Secy.-Treas. Emeritus Guy DeVito, the man the annual tournament is named to honor, told the banquet audience he is proud the golf tournament tradition continues with the GCIU.

The three-day tournament included three of Myrtle Beach's top golf courses, Pine Lakes, Wicked Stick and Belle Terre – each course with enough difficulty and diversity to challenge even the best golfers. Each course had its own particular challenges to test both duffer and expert alike. Beautiful, but risky, water hazards, huge sand traps, and rough terrain that harbored venomous snakes to discourage golfers from finding their errant shots were a part of the competitive fun at the seventh annual tourney that drew members and guests from the U.S. and Canada.

The three-day tourney format involved taking the first day scores and dividing competitors of similar abilities into seven different "flights." The scores of the last two days of play were used to determine flight winners and runners-up. The winners and runners-up received a variety of prizes, including expensive golf clubs, luggage with the GCIU logo, and other equipment including golf balls and other useful articles donated by the sponsors.

The results were announced at a banquet. Union Labor Life Insurance Co. Representative Ed Sullivan took top honors with a blistering 164 for 36 holes to win first flight honors. He received a lead crystal bowl for his victory.

The runner up in the first flight was Terry DeVito, son of GCIU Secy.-Treas Emeritus Guy DeVito for whom the tourney is named.

The second flight winner was Wayne Thul of St. Paul 1M, and the runner-up was guest Steve Weisen.

The third flight winner was Harold Perry of OKI 508M, and the runner-up was Austin Trammel, also of 508M.

The fourth flight winner was Rich Catalano of Chicago 458M and runner-up Bill Marciano of New York 2N.

The fifth flight winner was Emil Leuser of Chicago 458M and the runner-up was Tim Tully also of Local 458M.

The sixth flight winner was one of the tournament sponsors – Clifford Charleson of American Time Manufacturing Co., and the runner-up was Mike Osborne of Chicago 458M.

The seventh flight winner was Stan Otcovsky of Cleveland 546M, and the runner-up was Stan Zielinski of Chicago 458.

In addition, tourney sponsors had donated other prizes including golf clothing, golf balls, bags, and other equipment that was distributed in a raffle at the banquet.

Whether they were winners or not, the GCIU members and their guests showed their appreciation for the tournament organizers with a standing ovation and many voiced their intention to return to next year's tourney.