[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Bloody marys and breakfast burritos greeted golfers at the 39th Annual Big Brothers Big Sisters Golf Tournament held May 9 at the Newport Beach Country Club. Nearly 150 golfers gathered on the green for a day of golf and fundraising for our youth mentoring programs.

After checking in and receiving a swag bag—a custom Big Brothers Big Sisters Travis Mathew cooler backpack brimming with gifts like a $120 gift card to the Travis Mathew tour bus boutique, Taylor Made golf balls, Skullcandy bluetooth speakers and a Warrior Golf voucher redeemable for a hybrid or putter—attendees tuned in for a comedic trick shot power show with Golf Channel regular Jeff Farley. Adding some laughs and surprises to the morning, Farley shot golf balls through a watermelon and a sheet of plywood.

A long drive professional, Farley could also be found at hole 3 during the tournament; for a minimum donation of $50 per person or $200 per foursome, golfers could opt for Farley to take their shot.

Other entertaining features on the course were a cigar station, cornhole and trivia games, and the Travis Mathew tour bus boutique. Golfers also had the chance to compete in closest to pin and hole-in-one contests to win prizes such as admission to the BMW M Performance School and an Anaheim Ducks jersey signed by Corey Perry.

After the round of golf, the tournament concluded with a cocktail reception, where golfers and guests enjoyed gastropub fare, beer and wine, and desserts. At the reception, Carlos, a Little Brother in the program, gave a moving speech that highlighted his experience with Big Brothers Big Sisters and the impact of the program. He shared how having his Big Brother Dan as a mentor has changed his life and is the reason he is pursuing a college education—something he didn’t think was possible before Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, the sold-out tournament raised a total of $335,000—$35,000 over the goal—for youth mentoring, allowing us to provide more mentoring relationships like Carlos and Dan’s for more children in Orange County.

Thank you to all of the sponsors, golfers and attendees who made the 2016 Golf Tournament a big success! Save the date for the 40th Annual Golf Tournament, May 8, 2017![/vc_column_text][vc_gallery type=”flexslider_fade” interval=”3″ images=”3168,3167,3166,3165,3164,3163,3162,3161,3160,3159,3158,3157,3156,3155,3154,3153,3152,3151,3150,3149,3148,3147,3146,3145,3144,3139,3138,3137,3136,3135,3134,3133,3132,3131,3130,3129,3128,3127,3126,3125,3124,3123,3122,3121,3120,3119,3118,3117,3116,3115,3114,3113,3112,3111,3110,3109,3108,3107,3106,3105,3104,3103″ onclick=”link_no” custom_links_target=”_self” img_size=”large”][/vc_column][/vc_row]