It was the eighteenth year of my two brothers and our sons annual golf outing. We do more than golf during the three days we are together. We have a fun bean bag tournament on Friday evening, which involves some good money for the top three winners, plus lots of card games. Many stories and laughs as well.

We take turns each year hosting, what we call the Raymo Cup. It was my brother Jim’s turn this year to host. He and his wife Julie are managing the Sunset Bay Resort and Campground near Cross Lake Minnesota. Sunset Bay is located on Upper Mission Lake in the Brainerd Lakes Area. We stayed in the big lodge they have. That way we could all stay under one roof and  everybody had their own bed and own space, it’s a beautiful place.

Jim’s wife, Julie organized the food for everyone. She made some great salads and the best breakfast burritos and a whole lot more for all of us. She enjoys organizing events like this. She and her daughter Amy did so many little things behind the scenes for us. Usually, Saturday evening we stop by a local meat market and pick up some steaks to grill. Amy made the greatest garlic/cheese bread to go along with our steaks for our dinner. We always eat well during the Raymo Cup, after all we are Raymos

The golfing is always a blast, my son Josh does most of the organizing of the golf tournament. It is part best ball tournament and individual. Over the years we have had some very memorable moments on the golf courses. We do give a toilet trophy for the worst shot of the Raymo Cup. Saturday morning we golf 18 holes at one of the local golf courses, then have lunch at a local restaurant/bar and then play 9 more holes at a different course. Sunday morning is championship Sunday and we golf 18 more holes at a different course, so we golf three different golf courses over the weekend.

The Raymo Cup was started by my son Josh, it was a way to remember his Grandpa Raymo. Then after my mother died we had a trophy made in her honor. My mom loved family gatherings and that is what the Raymo Cup is all about, family! We honor my dad by giving to the winner a green jacket, like they do at the Masters Tournament. We named it after my dad, it’s called the Carrell Coat. Each year while driving to the Raymo Cup I do think of my mom and dad and how much they would love that us guys get together once a year to have some fun.