Course Rankings

How To Play A Private 100 Greatest Course

April 08, 2013
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The second at Medinah C.C. (No. 3).

If you've been unable to cultivate friends at the 100 Greatest Courses

you long to play—or can't qualify for a USGA event scheduled at one of them—don't give up. There are other opportunities to post a round and support a charity at the same time.

Just ask Keith Bank of KB Partners outside Chicago. In 1996 Bank contacted the American Cancer Society and volunteered to organize a fundraiser at Medinah Country Club. For the next 15 years he headed the Chicago Select Golf Invitational, an event that has raised more than $6 million to fight cancer. The opportunity to play Medinah (whose No. 3 course is 31st on the 100 Greatest) has attracted players from all over the country. Twice the event has had to relocate to a different course, but the alternate was another 100 Greatest venue—nearby Olympia Fields Country Club, whose North course is No. 62. The contribution required to participate: $10,000 per foursome for the No. 3 course and $5,000 for the No. 1 course.

Another thing that helped put the Chicago event on the map was Bank's then-novel idea to auction rounds at other 100 Greatest Courses. One year the 100 Greatest rounds auction alone raised $290,000, Bank says. Although he had occasionally played Medinah before the first American Cancer Society event there, he had not checked many other 100 Greatest Courses off his bucket list. Largely because of his auction purchases, Bank at one point had played 91 of the courses on Golf Digest's ranking, including 49 of the top 50. Says Bank: "I tell my wife that because the list changes, I'll never be done."

ARONIMINK G.C.

Newtown Square, Pa.

Jay Sigel Invitational to benefit University of Pennsylvania prostate-cancer research, Sept. 30, Jackie Adamczyk, jackie.adamczyk@uphs.upenn.edu

; 610-902-1790

BALTUSROL G.C.

Springfield, N.J.

Els for Autism Foundation event, July 29, e4agolf.com

, Mary Kay Willson, marykay.willson@ernieels.com

or 561-598-6196; New Jersey Golf Foundation Classic, Aug. 5, admin@njgolffoundation.org

or 732-465-1212; New Jersey 15th Annual NJ Sharing Network Golf & Tennis Classic to benefit the NJ Sharing Network, an organ- and tissue-procurement organization for those in need of transplants, Oct. 7,__ Jackie Lue Raia__, jlueraia@njsharingnetwork.org

, 908-516-5686. Fifteenth Mats Wilander Golf Benefit to combat Epidermolysis Bullosa, Casey Fitzpatrick, events@Debra.org

or 212-868-1573, Ext. 105, date to be announced

BOSTON G.C.

Hingham, Mass.

National Kidney Foundation Cadillac Golf Classic presented by Putnam Investments, June 11, Andrea.Savisky@kidney.org

or 781-278-0222

CALUSA PINES G.C.

Naples, Fla.

The First Tee Invitational to benefit The First Tee of Naples Collier, late November or early December, Cindy Darland, tftnaplescollier@aol.com

CROOKED STICK G.C.

Carmel, Ind.

St. Vincent New Hope Golf Outing to benefit the St. Vincent Foundation, Aug. 26, Ann Hall, aehall@stvincent.org

, 317-338-5090

DALLAS NATIONAL G.C.

The Eighth Annual Corporate Cup to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, Oct. 8, Stacey O'Leary, soleary@bgcdallas.org

or 214-821-2950

DOUBLE EAGLE CLUB

Galena, Ohio

Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation event will be scheduled in September, cbjfoundation@BlueJackets.com

or 614-246-4168

FISHERS ISLAND (N.Y.) CLUB

The O'Neill 22nd Annual Golf Outing to benefit the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, Waterford, Conn., May 29, Ainslie Seeber, events@theoneill.org

, 860-443-5378, Ext. 285

FOREST HIGHLANDS G.C.

Flagstaff, Ariz.

Denise Martinez Memorial to benefit Forest Highlands Foundation, June 17, foresthighlandsfoundation.org

or John Jacquay, jocjacquay@gmail.com

FRIAR'S HEAD G.C.

Riverhead, N.Y.

National Mentoring Partnership program, date not yet set, Baiting Hollow, Stuart Layne, Slayne@Seven2Sports.com

HAZELTINE NATIONAL G.C.

Chaska, Minn.

Els for Autism Foundation event, Aug. 26, e4agol.com

, Mary Kay Willson, marykay.willson@ernieels.com

or 561-598-6196

THE HONORS COURSE

__Ooltewah, Tenn.

Frank McDonald Memorial Golf Classic__ to benefit the United Way Frank McDonald Memorial Golf Classic, June 17, uwgolf.org

; Pro-Am for Honors/Council Fire Pro-Am to benefit the Tennessee Golf Foundation and The First Tee of Chattanooga, April 22-23, golfhousetennessee.com/Tennessee-Golf-Foundation-1032.html

or Connie Pearce, cpearce@pgahq.com

, 615-790-7600

HUDSON NATIONAL G.C.

__Croton-On-Hudson, N.Y.

Hudson Valley Hospital Center 36th Annual Golf Outing__, June 25, foundation@hvhc.org

or 914-734-3526

INTERLACHEN C.C.

__Edina, Minn.

Federated Challenge for Kids of Minnesota__, to benefit Big Brothers/Big Sisters, July 22; contact@federatedchallenge.org

KITTANSETT CLUB

__Marion, Mass.

Tobey Hospital Invitational__, May 16, Sarah Gonet, gonets@southcoast.org

, 508-961-5950

MAIDSTONE CLUB

__East Hampton, N.Y.

Golf Outing to benefit Guild Hall__, the East Hampton, N.Y., performing arts center, June 3, give.guildhall.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=300

or 631-324-0806

MAYACAMA G.C.

__Santa Rosa, Calif.

Schulz Celebrity Golf Classic__ benefits Sonoma Country Children's Charities, June 4, theschulz.org and amberbehrens@comcast.net

or 707-837-7902

MEDINAH (ILL.) C.C.

Medinah Patriot Day to benefit Illinois military families, May 28, medinahpatriotday.com

MILWAUKEE C.C.

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Tee it Up for Kids, Sept. 9, River Hills, Wis., Elisabeth Thomsen, 414-266-6344

MONTEREY (CALIF.) PENINSULA C.C.

Naval Postgraduate School Foundation's America's Heroes Charity Golf Tournament to benefit wounded-in-action service members, Aug. 13, Pebble Beach, info@npsfoundation.org

or 831-656-2339; Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County holds an event each February, Mary Ruberry at 831-394-5171 or mruberry@bgcmc.org

OAK HILL C.C.

__Rochester, N.Y.

Golisano Children's Hospital Golf Classic__, Aug. 26, 585-273-5948

OAKLAND HILLS C.C.

__Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Twilight Benefit Foundation__ event to benefit the foundation's social, philanthropic and humanitarian goals, June 12, twilightbenefit.com/eventgolf.aspx

, 248-896-6182

OAKMONT (PA.) C.C.

St. Anthony School Programs Annual Golf Outing to benefit St. Anthony's School for children with developmental disabilities, April 22, Karen Babeji, kbabeji@stanthonyschoolprograms.com

, 724-940-9020, Ext. 104

OLYMPIA FIELDS (ILL.) C.C.

Chicago Select Golf Invitational to benefit the American Cancer Society, July 22, ILChicagoSelect@cancer.org

, 312-279-7395; 13th Annual Big Shoulders Fund Golf Classic, to benefit Catholic schools in inner-city Chicago, Aug. 12, bigshouldersfund.org;

, 312-751-3850; BUMS Golf Outing, to benefit Misericordia, a care community for those with developmental disabilities, June 11, Kevin Connelly, Kevin@misericordia.com

THE OLYMPIC CLUB

__San Francisco

NFL Charity Golf Classic/Caring for Kids__, to benefit Northern California NFL alumni chapter programs for Bay Area kids, June 10, 650-366-3659

PLAINFIELD (N.J.) C.C.

Tartan Golf Classic, benefiting Bonnie Brae therapeutic residential school for boys, Edison, N.J., Sept. 23 (tentative date), Maureen Hunt, mhunt@bonnie-brae.org

or 908-647-4700; Blue & Green Golf Outing, to benefit Drew University Athletics, June 10, Drew University, George Rodriguez, grodriguez@drew.edu

or 973-408-3473; John T. Feeney Memorial Golf Classic to benefit St. Barnabus Hospice, July 29, 973-322-4811

RICH HARVEST LINKS

__Sugar Grove, Ill.

Chip Beck Pro-Am__ to benefit the Kids Golf Foundation of Illinois, June 24, Shane Roland, sroland@richharvestfarms.com

or 630-466-7610; Harvest Invitational to benefit the Northern Illinois University men's and women's golf programs, October 14, Samantha Rubin, srubin@richharvestfarms.com

or 630-466-7610; Rush-Copley Rich Harvest Classic to benefit the Rush-Copley Foundation, which supports the Rush-Copley Medical Center serving Fox Valley, July 17, Samantha Rubin, srubin@richharvestfarms.com

or 630-466-7610

RIVIERA C.C.

__Pacific Palisades, Calif.

Tom Sullivan Blind Children's Celebrity Golf Classic__, to benefit the Blind Children's Center, Pacific Palisades, Calif., June 17, Laurie Headley, laurie@blindchildrenscenter.org

or 323-664-2153, Ext. 342

SAHALEE C.C.

__Sammamish, Wash.

Provail Golf Classic & Auction__ to benefit children and adults with disabilities, May 6, Jamie Kenningham, JamieK@provail.org

or 206-826-1033; Junior Achievement Golf Classic & Auction, June 24, Joanne Kahl, Joanne@jawashington.org

or 206-296-2614; CBRE Invitational Golf Tournament to benefit Gilda's Club, July 22, Anna Gotlieb, 206-709-1400, Ext. 101; Hope Heart Classic, to benefit The Hope Heart Institute, Aug. 5, Laura Suter, 425-456-8720 or lsuter@hopeheart.org

SHINNECOCK HILLS G.C.

__Southampton, N.Y.

The Project A.L.S. Golf Classic__, May 20, Erin Fleming, erin@projectals.org

or 212-420-7382

SOMERSET HILLS C.C.

__Bernardsville, N.J.

Far Hills Country Day School Golf Classic__, May 20, 908-766-8424 or kdesantis@fhcds.org;

14th annual Hope Classic, to benefit Jersey Battered Women's Services, July 22, jbws.org

, Carol Klug, 973-267-7520, Ext. 155

SOUTHERN HILLS C.C.

__Tulsa

Southern Hills Charitable Foundation__ event to benefit First Tee of Tulsa, Oct. 14, Nancy Acton, nacton@southernhillscc.org

or 918-477-5274; Links for Little Ones to benefit The Little Lighthouse, Tulsa, which serves developmentally disabled children and their families, June 3 (sold out), Hannah Ekblad, hekblad@littlelighthouse.org

or 918-664-6746

WINGED FOOT G.C.

__Mamaroneck, N.Y.

National Kidney Foundation Cadillac Classic__ May 6, kidney.org or Melissa Saul, MelissaS@kidney.org

or 212-889-2210; Covenant House Golf Classic, June 3, Molly Ladd, golf@covenanthouse.org

or 212-330-0506