Cloudy skies and a few raindrops Friday morning didn't stop soldiers and civilians from swinging away at Willowbrook Golf Course in the town of Pamelia.

The eighth annual Association of the United States Army Dan Norwalk Memorial Golf Tournament was the best-attended tournament the association has hosted. With 148 players — half soldiers, half civilians — organizers stretched the limits on how many people and carts could be on the course at one time.

"We had to wait-list some soldiers, which is bad for them, but good because the tournament is so popular," said AUSA President Maureen P. Cean. "This is the second year we've done the corporate member-soldier partnership, and they really like the interaction, especially the members that are retired military. They like to hear from the active-duty guys about where they are from and where they are going."

Thomas F. Hanley, president of WPBS-TV and member and past president of AUSA, has participated in the tournament for several years and sponsored two soldiers this year.

"It's about going out and having a good time," Mr. Hanley said before teeing off. "It's good to come out and thank the soldiers for all that they do throughout the year."

As for the active-duty soldiers involved, most jumped at the chance to get a day off work and spend it out on the golf course.

"There's no pressure out here, unlike work," said Capt. Michael J. Stutts of the 2nd Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment. "This is our duty assignment today, and it's definitely nice."

Capt. Stutts and his fellow "Knighthawk," 1st Lt. Daniel F. Bair, had no expectations for the game and hoped only that the weather would hold and they would have a few golf balls left at the end of the day.

"I've only been out golfing two or three times this year, and that makes me inconsistent," Lt. Bair said. "But it's a day off work, and I jumped at the chance to play some golf."