Russ Sukow Memorial Golf Outing donates to Merrill Bluejays Trap Team

The Russ Sukow Memorial Golf Outing recently made an $800 donation to the Merrill Bluejays Trap Team, continuing a tradition that has supported a different local cause each year since the tournament began 13 years ago in memory of the late Russ Sukow.
Sid Sukow, Russ’s brother, presented the check to Bluejays Trap Team head coach Kevin Holz.
Russ’s widow, Cecil; daughter, Carrie; and brother, Mort, were unable to attend this year’s check presentation.
Each year the Sukows and their friends and family get together to play golf, remember Russ, and raise funds for a good cause. And each year, when they approach hole no. 15 at the Merrill Golf Course, the story is told of the year when Russ teed off, shot out of bounds, reteed his third shot, and then parred the hole, getting the ball in the hole on the fourth shot from 400 yards.
That hole is also where Sid likes to make the check presentation to a local non-profit that is in keeping with his late brother’s interests, donating the proceeds from the annual golf outing.

This year’s donation to the Bluejays Trap Team caps off a season Coach Holz called a strong one. The team had 73 kids participate across its four skill levels this year. Of those, 58 shooters traveled to State competition, and the team also made trips to a sporting clays shoot in Harshaw and a Conference shoot in Monico. While the team graduated 11 Seniors this year, Holz said there has been a lot of interest in the sport in recent years and it is gaining new members each season.
Shooters Maria Ashbrenner and Carson Wallace, both coming off a strong shooting season, were present for the check presentation.
The program relies partly on fundraising and community donations to help offset shooting costs, and is also supported through the Midway Foundation, a national organization that matches contributions to the team’s account dollar for dollar, Holz said.
“We appreciate it,” he said of the donation. “We do a lot of fundraising, but this helps.”
The Bluejays Trap Team got its start in 2010, originally organized through FFA before becoming its own 501(c)(3) around 2012, Holz said. With home base at the Lincoln Gun Club on Corning Road, the team now has 19 certified coaches and typically holds steady between 65 and 70 participants.
Holz pointed to the team’s mentorship culture as one of its strengths, sharing the story of team member Colton Smith, who graduated this year after progressing from hitting just two or three birds as a beginner to running a full 100-bird round.
“There’s nobody out there saying, ‘I’m going to be better than you,’” Holz said. Instead, the older or more experienced kids are helping mentor the younger kids with tips that help them improve their skills.
The sport of trap shooting builds skills, emphasizes gun safety, and builds community among youth as well as healthy interaction between adult coaches and aspiring claybusters.