Truro’s Apex Invitational Golf Tournament sees participants from across Canada, United States

The Apex Invitational Golf Tournament kicked off at the Truro Golf and Country Club in Truro, N.S., on Friday.

The tournament started in 1974 and was initially called the “Black Golf Tournament.”

The idea for the event came to a young Black resident named Darrell Maxwell. His goal was to promote Black golf in Truro, N.S., by putting on a competitive tournament with some of the Black golfers from town.

“Maxwell decided to get eight or nine people together from the community and settle who was the best golfer by the score they could post, as apposed to listening to people brag. And that was the modest start to the tournament,” said committee member Wayne Talbot.

Golfers participating in the Apex Invitational Golf Tournament at the Truro Golf and Country Club are pictured.

Over the tournament’s 50-year history, the name and size of those participating has progressed. Today, the annual multi-day tournament welcomes more than 100 golfers from all over Canada and the United States. It has also evolved to include anyone who wants to participate, not just Black golfers.

“It’s more like a family reunion. It’s an opportunity for old friends to reunite and it’s an opportunity for family that are spread out across the country to get together,” said Talbot.

Maxwell says it’s amazing to see how the tournament has become such a community event.

“One of my goals when we started was to have this golf tournament as a reunion,” he said.

People gathering for the Apex Invitational Golf Tournament are pictured.

The tournament also established its own scholarship fund in 1998. Its aim was to provide financial assistance to young Black students from Colchester County going on to pursue post-secondary education.

To date, Talbot says over 130 scholarships, totalling more than $100,000, have been issued.

“The golfing community is very supportive of it. They know it’s our primary source and like I say, it’s very important. Some of our kids are not fortunate enough to get summer jobs so this helps them a little bit with their post-secondary education,” said Talbot.

Since it started five decades ago, the gathering has evolved from a one-day tournament to a four-day event that includes:

• a practice round the day before the tournament starts
• two-day golf tournament
• two dances
• a banquet
• a memorial softball game
• a barbecue
• as well as many unofficial gatherings

This year’s golf tournament takes place Friday and Saturday.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Paul Dewitt

People golfing at the Truro Golf and Country Club are pictured.

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