Donation Archives - Morton Golf Foundation

Golf & Guitars XVI

Big names, great people, and a good cause—what better two days could country music fans ask for?

Last week was the annual Golf & Guitars country music festival at the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex. For two days, country music stars and fans descended upon the course for one heckuva shindig and raise money for a good cause!

On Monday, VIP Golf & Guitars ticketholders were treated to dinner and an intimate evening with several country music songwriters. Before the musicians took the stage, the Morton Golf Foundation announced their 2024 scholarship winners. Once the presentation was over, it was finally time for the country music to begin.

Artists came out in groups of 4, each playing their own songs and assisting the other musicians on stage. Among those featured were Chris Roberts, Craig Wayne Boyd, Johnny & Heidi Bulford, Erin Enderlin, Mae Estes, Amanda Gray, Elena Jane, Austin Jenckes, Lauren Mascetti, Kevin Post, Kennedy Scott, and Scott Stepakoff.

A wide shot of the Singer/Songwriter Night dinner outside the Haggin Oaks Pavilion. In the distance is the empty stage for Golf & Guitars.

The 12 scholarship winners in attendance at the Singer/Songerwriter night are holding their giant checks with their scholarship amounts. They are smiling and looking at the camera.

Tuesday started at 9am with the annual Golf & Guitars charity golf tournament. After mingling with fans before the opening ceremony, the players all hit the links to raise money to benefit charities of their own choosing.

Like always, fans were welcome on the course during the tournament as spectators. There were groups set up on holes, ready to collect their favorite musician’s signatures as they played through. Many of the players took the time to stop and talk with their fans and thank them for coming out (or snap a selfie or two!). The mood was lively, welcoming, intimate, and above all else—fun!

Jason Michael Carroll and members of PGA Hope are being interviewed by Molly Riehl from Good Day Sacramento. The man being interviewed is in a wheelchair while looking at the camera, Molly and Jason are laughing at a joke he made.

That mood carried well on through the day, all the way to the main event. At 5:30pm, bands took the stage to perform. For nearly 5 hours straight, live country music rocked from the stage. Nothing could stop this party—not even a little unexpected rain!

Cripple Creek Band on the main Golf & Guitars concert stage. Behind them is a large sign that reads 'NEW COUNTRY'.

A wide-shot from the audience's perspective of the main show stage. The crowd is packed and the sun is peeking over the trees, causing a lens flare.

Of course, Golf & Guitars is a charity event and the true winners were the charities benefitting from the event. During the main concert, Jason Michael Carroll and KNCI radio hosts Tom and Cody presented a special gift to members of PGA Hope, a non-profit organization that helps wounded veterans. Each PGA Hope member in attendance received a custom PING Hooferlite bag and roaring applause from the crowd. The Northern California PGA also received a $29,000 check for an adaptive cart that their program highly needed.

Next, it was time to announce the winners of the golf tournament. In 5th place was Mae Estes, winning $2,500 for Creativets. Tied for second place were Kennedy Scott, Erin Enderlin, and Eric Gunderson, winning $4,000 for Rahab House, Songwriting with Soldiers, and Augie’s Quest respectively. In first place was Chris Roberts, winning $6,000 to keep the Apollo Middle School Choir’s program.

Members of the Northern California PGA smiling while holding a giant check for $29,000 to pay for an adaptive cart.

Jason Michael Carroll on stage with the PGA Hope members in attendance at the event, all with the PING Hooferlite bags they have been given.

With its sixteenth year behind it, Golf & Guitars has raised nearly $2 million dollars for charity since it’s inception. It is a wonderful event that both musicians and fans are proud to be a part of and this year was no different.

Make sure to follow Golf & Guitars on Facebook to learn when Golf & Guitars XVII will be!

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5th Annual Capital Golf Challenge

The 5th Annual Capital Golf Challenge was played in conjunction with the 100 year Centennial Celebration of William Land Golf Course on Saturday, June 8th, 2024.

Under the beautiful Sacramento skies the City Elected Officials -vs- the County Elected Officials competed in a Ryder Cup format in a fundraiser for the newly built Hiram Johnson High School Life & Golf Skills Academy.

For the past 4 years this fundraiser has raised nearly $300,000.00 to make this state of the art practice facility become a reality. The goal is to keep this fundraiser going every year to help maintain and staff this practice center.

The City Elected Officials are proud of winning this format 4 times to the 1 time that it was won by the County Officials.

Winning team at golf tournament holding trophy

We can’t wait to see a high school golf team established as it puts Hiram Johnson High School on the map.

To donate to this on-site project Click HERE . Under the event type in Hiram Johnson Facility.

Thanks for your support!

Hiram Johnson Golf Facility Ribbon Cutting

Today, April 24, 2024 was a wonderful day at Hiram Johnson Golf Facility Ribbon Cutting. For the past 10 years a vision was created and now a reality has begun.

Over 10 years ago the idea came about regarding bringing the golf course to the school and letting high school students have an opportunity to experience not only the game of golf but also the First Tee’s nine core values helping students grow on and off the course.

Morton Golf Foundation has been fundraising for the past four years to sustain this facility once it was completed and now, we can start doing that process.

In early April, 2024 the First Tee – Greater Sacramento began mentoring and guiding Hiram Johnson High School students in the game of golf.

As the facility continues to grow, they will be adding not only after school programs but weekend and year-round golf skills as well.

Today at the Ribbon Cutting, Principal Garrett Kirkland enhanced the event by having Hiram Johnson students attend the event to see and hear what was created for them. To kick-off the ribbon cutting we were entertained by the Hiram Johnson School Band that added to our excitement.

We all look forward as we continue to watch the Hiram Johnson Golf Facility grow!

Local Charities Win BIG During Capital Cup Charity Tournament

The 8th Annual Capital Cup Charity Tournament was held on September 15, 16 & 17, 2023 with the new title sponsor of L5 Investments.

This year’s 32 participating golfers raised $1,847,396.00!

In the past, this is the largest charity event in Sacramento. This event annually raises more charity dollars than the May Big Day of Giving.

Each participant pays a $2,500.00 fee to participate in the fundraiser. This fee covers all event administration and operations costs allowing 100% of raised dollars to go directly to each player’s charity.

I am sure it’s fun for the 32 players to play 3 competitive rounds of golf in 3 days but the real fun is watching each charity receive their WINNING check!

From the Board of Directors at Morton Golf Foundation we would like to thank everyone who donated, participated & supported us on our successful journey.

See everyone next year!

LPGA Amateur Golf Association Donates to Girls’ Golf

On November 30^th, LPGA Amateur Golf Association– Sacramento Chapter donated $2,408.00 to Morton Golf Foundation to be given back to girls’ golf.

This donation will be used for girls between the ages of 12 – 18 when they receive a Junior Girls Golf Development Grant.

These funds are used for individual junior golfers to achieve growing their golf game, helping with cost of lessons and equipment.

Thanks to everyone associated with LPGA Amateur Golf Association – Sacramento Chapter for believing in our mission.

Villara Capital Cup Fundraiser

The Villara Capital Cup Fundraiser was held on October 7, 8 & 9, 2022.

For the 3rd year in a row Tom Morton, President of Morton Golf Foundation agreed to represent Morton Golf Foundation by playing & fundraising in the 8th Annual Villara Capital Cup fundraiser.

This event had a total of 32 business leaders playing in a Ryder Cup format with Tom Morton being the Captain for the Blue Team, River City Ramblers & Shannon Deary-Bell Captain of the Red Team, Sactown Stars over a three-day period.

The matches were played:

Friday, October 7th at Winchester CC
Saturday, October 8th at Del Paso CC
Sunday, October 9th at Granite Bay GC

The 2 teams had 16 golfers per team. Each golfer enters the event with a $2,500.00 entry fee as they choose their charity of choice & agree to raise money where 100% of all donations go directly back to the charities!

At the Sunday match, each player has the opportunity to bring a caddie. Tom Morton asked his 10 year old son, Ellis to step in and do the job. Ellis was qualified to handle this position after this year winning his age division in the First tee – Greater Sacramento “Little Linkers”.

This year, Morton Golf Foundation had the advantage to have 2 golfers playing for Morton Golf Foundation as they continue to spread the awareness of Morton Golf Foundation even further.

Tom Morton raised $65,856.33 and Kirk Kimmelshue raised $16,782.41 to round our total raised for this year’s event to $83,000.00!

Thanks to all of our donors who continue to support Morton Golf Foundation and the mission of giving back to our local youth, disabled and underserved as we continue to grow.

We are already in the planning stages for next year knowing this is an event not to miss!

Morton Golf Foundation Joins County Optimist for the Robla School Giveaway

Morton Golf Foundation, First Tee- Greater Sacramento joined County Club Optimist Club for the Annual Robla School Giveaway.

On Saturday, August 6th at 9:00 a.m. approximately 150 local school children from kindergarten through 6th Grade in the Robla School District joined in the fun for a back-to-school giveaway. What a wonderful way to get the students and families from the surrounding area of Robla School District off to a great start for the coming school year starting August 15th

There were several partners there to make sure the families had school class information. Many volunteers were handing out backpacks filled with school supplies, and healthy and nutritious bags of food and even the school Nurse was on hand to answer any questions.

The fun continued around the school yard as a BBQ lunch was being served along with games and snow cones to get the excitement up for the new school year.

Several of the students received a new pair of PUMA athletic shoes to wear all through the year.

Nothing is better than the safe feeling you have on that first day of School.

Paradise, CA High School Golf Team Gets Re-Outfitted by Morton Golf Foundation

Morton Golf Foundation and COBRA-PUMA Golf Help the Paradise Golf Team After the Camp Fire

As everyone in Northern California knows by now, the recent fire in Paradise, CA, dubbed the Camp Fire, has been a devastating one. Paradise is located about an hour north of the Haggin Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento, and the continued reports and smoke that’s engulfed the valley are a grim reminder each day to its wrath. It has been reported that roughly 95% of the kids that go to Paradise High School have lost their homes and all their possessions. The 501 c3 Morton Golf Foundation wanted to step up and bring a sense of normalcy to some of the families that are undergoing almost unbelievable hardship. The board decided unanimously to utilize some of the 501 c3 funds raised during May’s Golf & Guitars Music Festival to have the boys’ golf team come down and be outfitted with new equipment and uniforms with Morton Golf Foundation covering the cost. When the Morton Golf Foundation reached out to the VP of Sales for COBRA-PUMA Golf, they stepped up and agreed to be our partner on this initiative – without any hesitation. Each member of the Paradise Golf Team and their families will also receive an invitation to Golf & Guitars to recognize them and give them something special up on stage during the event as well.

This video illustrates the impact of this gesture. Tom Mailey of KNCI’s morning Pat and Tom Show came over and filmed a short piece with Assistant Coach, Steve Suihkonen, and his son, Chase, from the Paradise High School. It details the Suihkonen’s personal experience and harrowing escape from the fire and has some personal photos of their loss. They were overwhelmed with the experience yesterday and reiterated over and over again how much this meant to them. Thank you to the whole board for helping make this happen. It’s appreciated!