Glen Arbor’s mini golf and margarita hot spot will be adding to the ever-growing roster of races in the town this weekend when they host the first annual River Club Run & Hole in One Saturday, September 12, with a 5K or 10K run followed by a party and a chance to win a prize with a hole-in-one.
Owner Mike Sheldon explained that the idea came from a simple observation.
“Usually when you run a 5K or 10K, it’s mom or dad or grandpa, and nobody else gets to be a part of it. You run the race, and they might be at the finish line, but when you go home. So we wanted a place where, if it’s mom running, then dad and kids could play putt-putt and
have something to eat and drink afterward, where everybody in the family can come in.”
In the spirit of making the run a whole family activity, River Club is making the registration free for those 12 and under.
Both races will start at 9 a.m.; runners will have until noon to finish, and the post-race party begins at River Club at 10 a.m. Once they cross the finish line, runners will get a free meal and commemorative T-shirt. Families and racers are both invited to hang out to enjoy live music, an
awards presentation, and a hole-in-one contest, where each runner will get three shots on the green to win a prize. The top three in each age category will receive an award along with the top overall male and female runners.
Stone Travelbee will take the stage right after the race from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., followed by The Ampersands from 5-8 p.m.
Beyond creating a fun day for participants, Sheldon’s goal is to extend the summer season a bit farther than usual.
“Our season is so hyper-focused on July and August,” he said. “So if we could bring business at the end of the season, as the M22 challenge does at the front, this is a way to extend the season on the back end.”
The race route starts and ends at River Club, heading past the fire station before turning ontoLake Street and heading down Northwood Drive. The 5K runners turn around on Northwood while the 10K runners will turn onto South Fisher Road before doubling back toward town.
The race will be professionally timed, and the full map is posted on the race’s website.
Other local businesses have signed on to help make it happen, including Leelanau Vacation Realty is the presenting sponsor, along with Northwoods Hardware and The Crystal River Recreation District.
Sheldon expects around 150 runners for the inaugural race, though he noted that plenty of people will probably sign up the morning of. He acknowledged that it’s a modest field compared to other local races, but Sheldon wasn’t chasing a large number out of the gate.
“I just hope people have a really good time and tell their friends,” he said. “150 people is not a big race at all, but it’ll grow over time, I think, because it’s fun and different, and the hole-in-one contest is cool, and the live music’s cool, and the free food is cool.”
Registration for the 5K and 10K is currently $50 but increases after 11:59 on September 11. Kids racing under the free entry won’t receive a T-shirt or post-race meal unless they are registered in the paid category, and there are no free entries for ages 13 and up.
