After Montana State football coach Rob Ash birdied the par-4, No. 2 hole at Green Meadow Golf Club on Thursday, his group began whooping and hollering.

It gave Ash's group three straight birdies at the annual Bobcat Scramble Golf Tournament and the men would finish the day 11-under. But it didn't matter what scores the groups carded, or even how much money was raised. This event was all about having fun.

"It's not so much about the money we raise but how much enthusiasm we raise," Ash said. "We want people to walk away with a positive feeling about Montana State athletics."

The event has been held in Helena for the past 17 years, according to tournament director Martin Lewis. For many years it was held at Fox Ridge, but it has been played at Green Meadow for the last decade.

There was a strong turnout Thursday, with 145 people and 26 teams showing up to play golf with MSU coaches and other athletic personnel. A number of other community members came out later to enjoy the barbeque. Lewis expects about $10,000 to $15,000 will be donated to athletic scholarship funds at MSU.

Montana State also holds similar golf fundraising events across the state throughout the year, holding tournaments in Billings, Great Falls, Miles City, Kalispell, Polson, Fort Benton, Shelby and of course, Bozeman. The event has also been held in Butte, though not annually.

"It's great to get around the state," said Bobcats basketball coach Brad Huse. "It's hard to do with the busyness of our season and the busyness of our off-season, so it's nice to have a chance to get out and see the people that are supporting the program, even if it's just to say thank you and enjoy some laughs and talk about our teams and our seasons."

Although MSU does a number of other fundraisers, Ash said he enjoys getting out on the fairways the most.

"I like this one because I always feel more relaxed," Ash said. "At the others it sometimes feels like there is too much emphasis on fundraising."

There were people like Barry Damschen who have played in the Scramble every year, and then there were newcomers. Matt Sitzer, an employee at the Brewhouse, had never played in the tournament before but said Damschen approached him about the opportunity.

"We wanted a good hitter," Damschen said.

Huse said he enjoyed meeting and playing with a fun group of guys. It also didn't hurt that they had some memorable holes.

"We had four straight holes where we hit at least 30-foot putts," he said. "So we were on a roll then we fell back into a sense of reality. But we all thought we were good for awhile there."

Ash said MSU director of athletics Peter Fields is probably the most golf savvy of the bunch that was there.

"Peter reads golf books," he said. "He's definitely the best out of the men in the athletic department."

But, Ash was quick to mention there are a few ladies in MSU athletics who could've given the men a run for their money had they been there, including Bobcat golf coach and professional golfer Leslie Spalding.

"Leslie's recruiting," Fields said. "If she hadn't been recruiting she probably would have been here."

Fields said it was nice to get out of the office and especially to come to a city where there is so much support for MSU athletics.

"Helena's a great town, we've got some people on our teams from Helena so they're all excited," he said.

It seemed as if the Bobcat blue and gold was competing with all the green out at the club, with people in Bobcat T-shirts and cars with MSU license plates lining the parking lot.

"Somebody even told me someone had Bobcat golf shoes on," Ash said. "I've got to find me some of those."

Ash said this is really the only time of year he is able to get out on the greens.

"I play a lot in a short window here," he said. "In June and July I play a fair amount then I put the clubs away in August when we start the season and I don't play at all again until May.

"The best thing about my golf game is that the scores aren't in the paper the next day like the football scores are," he joked.

It was tough to know who the true winners were Thursday, because everyone admits their score cards aren't entirely truthful.

"We're not taking it too seriously because the key is to have a fun time," Ash said. "This is not a deal where it's supposed to be overly competitive where you're trying to evaluate a team. You talk football but there's not a high-intensity feeling to it. We're trying to just generate enthusiasm for the school, all the athletic teams and get people excited about buying tickets and joining the booster club."

Amber Kuehn: 447-4079 or amber.kuehn@helenair.com