Bogeys & Brews 2026

Bogeys & Brews: One Very Good Day on the Lost Coast

Saturday, September 26 began with one of those rare Lost Coast mornings that seems almost staged. The sun was out, the Shelter Cove Golf Links were glowing above the Pacific, and seventeen two-person teams were gathering for the first Bogeys & Brews tournament. There were golfers from Shelter Cove, Eureka, Ukiah, and beyond, and there was beer, cider, and kombucha waiting at nearly every hole.



Before the teams headed out, Surf Point Coffeehouse kept everyone caffeinated with donated coffee, Gyppo provided Bloody Beers to start the morning, and an Irish cream coffee cake waited patiently on the table for people who were apparently far more interested in getting onto the course than eating breakfast. It was a small thing, but it set the tone for the day: local people and businesses contributing whatever they could to make the morning feel generous before the first ball was even hit.

The event was a fundraiser for the Shelter Cove Golf Association, and much of the credit belongs to Justin Graham and David Gilchrist, who did the quiet, unglamorous work of turning an idea into a real event. What they built was simple in concept: a nine-hole scramble, local craft beverages, a beautiful golf course, and a reason for people to spend a Saturday together while supporting something worth protecting.



The beverage makers made the day possible by donating what was poured on the course. Fall River Brewing, Trinity County Brewing Company, Six Rivers Brewery, Eel River Brewing, PPaskenta Mad River Brewing, It’s Alive Kombucha, and Gyppo Ale Mill all contributed. They were not standing at the holes themselves. That part belonged to an army of volunteers who simply showed up and asked, “What do you need me to do?"

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That may have been one of the best parts of the whole day. Volunteers spread out across the course, poured beer, moved between holes, covered one another for bathroom breaks, answered questions, and solved whatever small problem came up next. There was no giant production company behind the scenes. There were just people willing to help, which is often how the best things happen around here.

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By midmorning, the course had settled into an easy rhythm. Golf carts moved between greens. Teams stopped for a taste before heading to the next tee. People lingered longer than they probably needed to because the view was too good to rush past. The ocean was blue, the air was warm, and everybody seemed to understand that the scorecard was only part of the reason they were there.



There was, however, some very good golf. Arlin Reid and Gabe Pascucci finished first with a score of 31, earning a two-person fishing trip with Seahawk Sportfishing. Second place took home a one-night stay at Inn of the Lost Coast, and third place won breakfast for two at Black Sands Bistro. We also handed out prizes for Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin, and Closest to the Windsock. The competition was real, but it never became the point of the day. The tournament stayed relaxed from beginning to end, which somehow made it feel more competitive and less serious at the same time.



When the last teams finished their rounds, everyone made their way back to Gyppo. The golf tournament slowly turned into an afternoon party. Groovadelix played live, food came out, beers were poured, and golfers compared notes about the shots they made, the shots they almost made, and the ones that would undoubtedly improve in the retelling.

The silent auction added another layer to the afternoon. Local businesses and residents donated paintings, vacation-rental stays, Lost Coast Bread Company bread, a handmade cutting board from Dianna Totten, local experiences, Gyppo gear, and a long list of other items. None of it came from obligation. People simply wanted to contribute to the golf course and to the community around it.



Looking back, that is what stands out most. Bogeys & Brews was not impressive because it was polished or enormous. It was impressive because so many people quietly decided to make it work. Justin and David organized it. Beverage makers donated product. Local businesses gave auction items. Volunteers arrived and took on whatever job needed doing. Seventeen teams signed up for something that had never happened before.



Then the weather cooperated, which never hurts.

By the afternoon, the golf course, the brewery, the musicians, the volunteers, and the golfers had all blended into one long day that felt distinctly Lost Coast. It was casual without being careless, busy without feeling frantic, and full of the kind of little conversations and unexpected moments that are impossible to plan.



It also made one thing very clear: Bogeys & Brews needs to happen again.

If you saw the photos afterward and found yourself wondering when all of this happened, consider that your warning for next time. Shelter Cove Golf Links has more tournaments on the calendar, including the Hangover Tournament on New Year’s Day. We are also hoping to bring back the Tournament for Nonprofits in April, and Links for the Lost Coast is another charity tournament worth watching for.

But as for Bogeys & Brews, we already know we want another round.

A huge thank-you goes to Justin Graham and David Gilchrist, the Shelter Cove Golf Association, every beverage maker who donated, every person and business that contributed to the silent auction, Groovadelix, the volunteers who kept asking what else they could do, and all seventeen teams who took a chance on the first year.

You made it feel less like the beginning of an event and more like the beginning of a tradition.

Bogeys & Brews: One Very Good Day on the Lost CoastAnd if you missed it this time, pay attention next year.