Wilt Chamberlain wasn’t a golfer, so it might seem odd to organize a charity golf tournament to raise money for a scholarship in the name of the legendary Kansas University basketball player.

It makes sense, though, because the scholarship was the idea of Chamberlain’s former teammate and friend, Bob Billings.

Billings, who passed away in February, was president of Alvamar Inc. and led the development of West Lawrence, including Alvamar Country Club. A golf tournament makes sense when it involves honoring Chamberlain and Billings.

“No, Wilt didn’t (play golf),” said Monte Johnson, a former KU athletic director and Chamberlain teammate. “But with Bob having developed the golf course, that made for a logical way to go with the idea Bob had.”

Johnson calls the tournament, set for July 11 and 12 at Alvamar, a “labor of love” for the 50 members of the steering committee involved in its organization. The tournament should be the final piece of a $350,000 endowment puzzle for the Chamberlain scholarship.

But as the tournament draws near, it’s also in remembrance of Billings, a Russell native who played basketball at KU from 1956 to 1959.

“It’s just a tribute to Bob Billings,” said Lawrence Country Club golf pro and tournament organizer Randy Towner. “He and Wilt were very good friends, and he wanted to do something to honor him. He had done something to endow a scholarship in Wilt’s name, and we just wanted to complete that.”

The two-day tournament features 10 flights of two-person teams of every ability. They’ll play one day on Alvamar’s public side and the other on the private side.

“There’s a scratch flight, a high handicap, mixed flights, flights for just about everyone competing,” Towner said.

It’s not just a Lawrence-resident event, either.

People from Denver, Wichita, Kansas City and Manhattan, among others, have entered, and Towner said the Lawrence support had been outstanding.

More than 110 teams have entered, but Johnson said 30 more teams could still sign up. Contact Towner at 842-2929 for more information.

“If there’s anyone else out there that’s interested, we’d love to have them,” Johnson said.

Cost is $225 per person, which includes green fees, balls, T-shirt and hat.

Towner said they hoped to raise more than $40,000 from the tournament, which features an auction of various golf items, sports memorabilia and Chiefs tickets.

Though, the best piece of memorabilia may come from a simple slogan Towner has started putting on shirts: a happy face with the phrase, “Be Like Bob.”

“He was always so kind and generous, that’s what we’re trying to entail with this tournament,” Towner said. “Plus, with him and Wilt being such good friends, we just wanted to honor a couple of guys that meant a lot to Lawrence.”