Par-Busters has served the community for 40 years and obtained charitable status within the state.

The 40th annual Par-Busters Community Service Golf Tournament will be held June 5-7 at Clear Creek Golf Course in Bovina. The main 36-hole tournament will begin Saturday at 9 a.m. and continues on Sunday at the same time. Friday is a day of practice rounds from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

“We expect about 55 or 60 golfers,” Johnny Moran said, President of Par-Busters. “The weather has been bad and that has a lot to do it.”

The golf tournament started at an old municipal golf course off Highway 61 in 1975. There has only been one year the tournament has not been held after it’s initial inception. It was due to a remodel of the front 9 holes; otherwise this would be the 41st tournament.

“When we first started, we got a lot of golfers from Vicksburg and Jackson. We picked up golfers from Hattiesburg, Tupelo and Mobile, Alabama,” Moran said.

Par-Busters is a member of the Southern Association of Amateurs Golfers, with a focus of promoting interest in golf through its clubs and members. They solicit funds to help give scholarships to local golfers to send them to college.

Par-Busters donate money to United Way, We Care Community Services and Haven House. Par-Busters consistently donates to the community for more than 40 years, although the organization may not bring in a lot of money.

“Most of the members of the club played golf period.” John Ferguson, secretary of Par-Busters said. “It was mostly like a social club to do something to get together after tournaments. We decided there were other golf tournaments in the state, so we organized our first tournament.”

Par-Busters aligned their tournament with the ones they played at in Louisiana, Alabama and Tennessee.

Rain has put a damper on things and the weather has prevented golfers from playing as much as they would like to. If it does rain during the tournament, Par-Busters has plans to move up times or play around the showers.

Participation in the tournament has been declining. Par-Busters at one point had 105 golfers participate in a tournament. They now average between 55 and 60 golfers.

“When we started we were the only one doing a two day tournament and the rise of others has led to declining participation,” Moran said. “We’ve just been holding on and don’t get a lot of local golfers as we used too.”

Registration has already begun and 20 people have signed up, but Ferguson said that from past experience more people register and sign up the day of the tournament. The entry fee is $160, including dinner on Friday and Saturday, door prizes and awards. A banquet will be held Saturday for golfers to fellowship with others from Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Alabama and Mississippi.

There will be seven flights, as well as men’s, women’s and seniors prizes for closest to the pin and longest drive.