Gentle Friday will kick off a day early this year.

The annual study day is getting a boost with a Program Board-sponsored golf scramble at 10 a.m. Thursday at The Pines Golf Course, 1022 Clubhouse Drive.

“Gentle Thursday just doesn’t have the same kind of kick as Gentle Friday,” said Matt Burza, Otsego senior and Program Board vice president. “It’s like the Gentle Friday Weekend, I guess.”

Program Board President Kyle VanDeventer, a Saginaw senior, said the addition of the golf scramble to the 41-year tradition of Gentle Friday is because of the extended break before exams.

“Within the past couple years, the university has given Thursday off as well, so we figured we should do something for that too,” VanDeventer said. “This is only the second year the golf outing has taken place.”

The scramble will consist of 30 two-person teams. Program Board is providing free food and prizes for the longest drive, longest par and closest to the pin on specific holes. The rules of a golf scramble are that each player tees off but both players on a team then play from the location of their team’s best shot. This process is repeated until the hole is complete.

The start for the Gentle Friday Scramble will be a “shotgun start.” Two teams will start at each tee and finish where they began.

Registration for a student team is $40 and $50 for a general public team. The Office of Student Life is handling this year’s registration.

“There has been high demand. As of right now, there’s only one spot left open,” said Kristen Kosmider, Office of Student Life front desk employee and Livonia sophomore.

Burza said if demand is high enough, a few teams beyond the planned 30 may be allowed in the scramble, although that number would be only slightly exceeded.

“You can only hold so many people on a golf course at the same time,” Burza said.

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