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BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – On a cool and sunny Monday morning, over 100 people rolled carts at the Sudden Valley Golf Course in Bellingham to remember the late Mark Scholten.
Scholten, who passed away in 2023, was a sports broadcaster for 1170 KPUG and a familiar voice for athletes and sports fans alike. After his passing, the Scholten family, along with Woody Harward, came together to plan and host the first annual Mark Scholten Memorial Golf Tournament.
“It was amazing to see the power that radio has in our community,” said Woody Harward, director of the Mark Scholten Memorial Golf Tournament and friend of the Scholten family.
On Sept. 16, friends and family of Mark Scholten played a game of golf with support from the Cascade Radio Group, The Score Sports Bar & Grill, Sudden Valley Golf Course and dozens of donors across Whatcom County.
Among the golfers that day was the current host of KPUG’s The Zone, Allan Fee. Fee took over the afternoon sports talk show after Scholten’s passing, bringing in a new perspective on sports and community to the popular show.
“I know Mark would have appreciated everyone getting together for a good time on his behalf,” said Fee. “Plus, you couldn’t have asked for better weather.”
During his over 30 years in sports radio, Scholten covered sporting events ranging from regional high school sports to professional sports. Notably, he was the host of “The Zone” on 1170 KPUG, broadcasting live every weekday from the Cascade Radio Group building in Bellingham, WA.
What made Scholten different than most sports broadcasters, though, was his love for high school and college sports in Whatcom County.
In an effort to both honor Scholten and his alma mater, Bellingham High School, the Scholten family has started a scholarship for Bellingham High School students who want to pursue an education in broadcasting. This year, the net proceeds raised through the golf tournament will go straight to the scholarship fund. Information on how students can apply for this scholarship will be available soon.
According to Harward, the golf tournament is scheduled to return to the Sudden Valley Golf Course in August 2025.
Photos by Sam Kristofferson
Editor’s note: The final paragraph was edited on Sept. 24 to reflect more accurate information pertaining to the scholarship fund.