A full field of local golfers joined Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation & Marine Director Phil Hester, American Golf Chief Operating Officer Keith Brown and other local dignitaries and tournament sponsors at the Third Annual Long Beach Mayor’s Trophy Charity Golf Tournament at Skylinks Golf Course on Monday, July 14. More than $32,000 was raised during the day’s activities, which included a long drive demonstration by Mike “Lava” Moulton from the Pinnacle Long Drive Team, a shotgun start tournament, a variety of on-course contests, live and silent auctions and an awards dinner.
Proceeds will benefit junior and inner-city youth golf programs in Long Beach, including a program launched by American Golf and the City of Long Beach in collaboration with the Long Beach Police Athletic League (PAL) to provide free golf lessons and playing opportunities for at-risk kids as a positive alternative to drug abuse, gang involvement and juvenile delinquency.
The Long Beach Mayor’s Trophy is a collaborative effort between American Golf, the American Golf Foundation and the Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation & Marine in cooperation with Partners of Parks to provide local kids with a healthy, positive activity as well as exposure to the many important life skills the game of golf teaches, including honesty, integrity, courtesy, respect, responsibility and fair play— ideals kids can apply to every aspect of their lives.
The winners of this year’s tournament included James Oh, Matt Knabe, Dave Slater and Dick Worth. Second place went to Gordon Olson, Dan Gooch, Lou Soto and Jim Gonsales, while the team of Ed Ratleff, Suzanne Frick, Simon Grieve and Tom Simmons took home third place. Among the contest winners were Vic Cegles of Long Beach, who won a trip to American Golf’s Ko`olau Golf Club on Oahu as part of an Aloha Shootout closest-to-the-pin contest, with accommodations provided by Marriott Vacation Clubs.
Tournament awards, tee gifts and contest prizes were provided compliments of Titleist and its parent company, Acushnet.
Major sponsors of the Third Annual Long Beach Mayor’s Trophy included American Golf, Titleist/Cobra/FootJoy, Long Beach Marriott, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Supervisor Don Knabe’s office, EZ Links, Cypress Golf Solutions, Matson Navigation, Downtown Long Beach Associates, IBS, Southern California Edison, Pro Shot, Thums Long Beach, the Port of Long Beach, Southern California Public Links Golf Association, Tidelands Oil Production Company and California United Terminals.
The 2009 Long Beach Mayor’s Trophy Charity Golf Tournament has been scheduled for Monday, July 13. For sponsorship or entry information, please contact Cindy Elliott at (562) 431-5962 or cepr@msn.com.
