Golf & Guitars Music Festival a Huge Sucess

The Golf & Guitars Music Festival at Haggin Oaks Surpasses The 1.5 Million Dollars Fundraising Mark

Morton Golf Foundation Uses Funds To Support Programming For Youth, Veterans & Those With Disabilities

The Golf and Guitars Music Festival is a celebrity pro-am golf tournament and country concert featuring nationally recognized & major label country music artists that raises money for key children’s charities in Haggin Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento, CA. Each golfer in the tournament plays with a celebrity and gets a seat near the stage where these generous artists put on a tremendous concert underneath the stars on the golf course. The hottest acts in country music, the up-and-coming artists you’ll soon see topping the charts and some of Nashville’s very best songwriters are all donate their time to help raise funds for children’s charities. Much of the funds from the event go to the Morton Golf Foundation with the balance being paid out via a tournament purse to the artist’s children’s charity of choice.

This year started with decidedly female slant as the Monday night Singer-Songwriter Showcase was a near-all women event. Nashville’s downtown club The Listening Room has hosted an all-female songwriter collective show every Monday for the last decade or so called The Song Suffragettes and our event was able to host a “West-Coast version” of their show with eight incredible young songwriter and artist talents including Kaylin Roberson, Lydia Dall, Bonner Black, Emily Brooke, Haley Mae Campbell, Jillian Dawn, Julie Williams and Olivia Faye. Daughter of PGA Tour player Bobby Clampett and wildly talented songwriter Katelyn Clampett and longtime supporters Megan Conner, Johnny and Heidi Bulford rounded out our first night playing for a few hundred VIP guests.

The next morning was our Pro-Am Tournament where all of the songwriters and artists play in a five-person gross score scramble format. Restaurants were on every other hole providing food, local Bud Light distributor Markstein Beverage (our longest-running sponsor) made sure no one went home thirsty and our Caddie Crew with nearly every group made for an incredibly fun day of golf. Golfers will be proudly wearing their Americana flag sweatshirt hoodies and caps that they received courtesy of another key sponsor, Adidas.

When the strokes were counted, these were our winning teams and the charities the artists chose to play for along with the dollar amount that was contributed in their name.

Steve Mendiola (Cripple Creek Band) – $5,000 – St. Jude
Lydia Dall – $5,000 – Next for Autism
Conner Smith – $4,000 – Show Hope
Chris Roberts (The Lonely Fighters)- $2,000 – Valor Collegiate Academy
Adam Wakefield (Texas Hill)- $2,000 – National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Kaylin Roberson – $2,000 – Hope Nation Foundation

The balance of our Tuesday was filled with incredible music from our main stage starting with our pre-show featuring Northern California act The Cripple Creek Band and new Americana duo The Lonely Fighters.

And before our main concert began, artist Jason Michael Carroll invited his four PGA Hope playing partners up for a standing ovation recognition and a gracious recognition gift from PING Golf who gave each of our veteran heroes a red, white & blue PGA Hope bag and a promise to fill it with a full set of custom clubs. Not a dry eye in the house was left from their response.

And lastly, but certainly, not least was the music. Jordan Fletcher, Conner Smith, Texas Hill, Jason Michael Carroll, Jackson Dean, Love & Theft, Restless Road and Ryan Hurd joined special last-minute guests Parmalee for three hours of musical celebration that lasted well into the evening.

The result? An incredible time had by all and a healthy addition to the more than 1.5 million dollars raised for charity with this event since its inception.


Sacramento Golf Council First Annual Player of the Year Awards

The Sacramento Golf Council First Annual Player of the Year Awards were held on October 3, 2022.

The following are the Sacramento Player of the Year recipients:

*Men’s Player of the Year, Matthew Sutherland 
*Women’s Player of the Year, Sienna Lyford 
*Senior Men’s Player of the Year, Mark Morgan
*Super-Senior Men’s Player of the Year,  Jeff Burda

Each recipient was chosen from a Committee within the Sacramento Golf Council by their point system by this year’s accomplishments.

They were all recognized in front of their family and friends at the Creekside Landing at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex. Their names were put on an inaugural plaque to be displayed at a City or Country golf course of their choosing.

Ken Morton, Sr told the history of the Sacramento Golf Council as it started in 1952 as everyone felt the growth and need as the Council continues.

Matthew Sutherland was quoted as saying, “I am honored to be the first name on the plaque as we kick off this prestigious award”.

We look forward to the growth of these awards in many years to come.

Congratulations to all!


Golf Fore Health Lessons at Haggin Oaks

Are you, or someone that you know interested in rehabilitating using the game of golf? Golf Fore Health is the answer!

This program consists of a spring and fall program that provides the participants the opportunity to improve their golfing skills while on their journey of recovery. These sessions consist of coaching sessions on Mondays and 9-hole play on Wednesdays. Each of these sessions concludes with a “Hot Dog Scramble” where the participants can have family, friends, or caretakers play nine holes of golf with them.

Due to the requests of the participants, a July/August “Summer School” was added last year on alternating Mondays to allow the golfers to continue to hone their skills and maintain their friendship during the “dog days” of July and August.

This program has been growing in leaps and bounds over the past few years and includes participants aged 16 through the “young” 80’s. Such growth has been made possible through the dynamic coaches and volunteers that work with the participants.

Golf Fore Health is another example of how the Morton Golf Foundation uses golf as a tool for enriching people’s lives.

If you are interested in our Golf Fore Health Program, Click HERE


Special Olympics Golf Regional at Haggin Oaks

The Special Olympics Golf Reginal was held at Haggin Oaks on September 9, 2022. We were thrilled to host all of the athletes and families that participated.

Today was a very special day at Haggin Oaks. It’s been 3 years since the last Special Olympics Golf Regionals has held due to COVID-19.

The Special Olympics Athletes started to arrive, the volunteers were in place & the BBQ grills were cooking burgers.

36 Athletes had the opportunity to play 9-holes of golf & 100 more Athletes were transported to the back of the driving range to compete with their golf skills.  No matter which way the Special Olympic Athletes competed everyone went home with a medal.

From the time everyone stepped onto the property of Haggin Oaks until the time that Alex Cooper, Director of Youth, Family & Adaptive Golf officially closed the Summer Games everyone was enjoying a healthy outdoor recreational golf experience.

We all can’t wait for next year’s Special Olympics Golf Regionals.


31st Annual Junior Senior Funvitational

The 31st annual Junior/Senior FUNVITATIONAL was held at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex on Friday, July 29, 2022.

Every year we gather for the Junior Senior Funvitational when an adult plays golf side-by-side with a junior player.

This is an opportunity that doesn’t happen often throughout the year which is why it is so special.

Morton Golf Foundation is a huge supporter of this event as it involves most of the junior players who are supported by Morton Golf Foundation all year long.

This year, Jack Fidler (2nd of left) was the PROUD recipient of the Marilyn & Bob Hughes Scholarship Award.

Jack will be attending Sierra College this fall and this scholarship will help him meet his college goals.

Thanks again to Marilyn Hughes for presenting this award to Jack Fidler at this year’s luncheon.

Marilyn & Bob Hughes have been volunteers with First Tee – Greater Sacramento for many years.

We are already looking forward to seeing Marilyn again next year at this “fun” event.


Austin Smotherman Morton Golf Foundation Alumnus Earns PGA Tour Playing Card

What fun watching our past Morton Golf Foundation 2012 College Scholarship Winner play in his 1st PGA TOUR tournament in the Fortinet Championship, Silverado Country Club, Napa, CA on September 16 – 19, 2021.

We all remember on his 13th birthday when he was hitting long drives at The First Tee Bodycraft charity golf tournament at Granite Bay Golf Club.

Another Morton Golf Foundation alumnus, Richie Gibbs was quoted as, “When I, my brother Alex & Austin were little we would play golf at Indian Creek Golf Course in Loomis, CA and pretend that we were on the PGA TOUR. Austin this week was not pretending. He has arrived.

Austin made the cut in his 1st appearance as a PGA TOUR Professional in front of family & friends. He had the biggest cheering crowd that we could see on the course. His wife Jesse of 5 years was there as they now reside in Dallas, TX where Jesse works in the fashion industry.

In 2012, Austin graduated from Del Oro High School in Loomis, CA, and was awarded a Morton Golf Foundation College Scholarship. He was then off to play college golf all 4 years at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.

When we ask a junior golfer what they want to be when they grow up many of them answer, “On the PGA TOUR”. This proves it can happen.

Let’s continue to cheer Austin on as he continues his PGA TOUR career ahead from all his Sacramento fans!


The Putting Party represents everything wonderful about the Great Game of Golf!

Outside in the fresh air, friends getting together, music playing, the sound of laughter, raising Funds for some of Sacramento’s best charities.  “The Putting Party” is back and better than ever. 

We were so honored to have our two celebrities on hand to enhance the evening.  Kevin Patton told his story of golf literally “Saving His Life” through the PGA HOPE Program.  Kevin continues to feel good as he enjoys golf each week and competes at a national level in the Para Golfer Competitions.  Kevin Sutherland, PGA Tour Champions Member, and Morton Golf Foundation Board Member were also on hand.  As always, Kevin shared his extensive golfing knowledge and showed us all how to really putt.  

Although the real winner is Charity, the players enjoyed some friendly competition.  Congratulations to team CBS TV/CW 31 Double Eagles for taking home the golf with an amazing 8 under par 28.  Team Mel Rapton Honda took the silver at 7 under par, 29. 

Everyone had a blast and we are excited to keep this tradition going for years to come.


Morton Golf Foundation Junior Jaden Dumdumaya Ties for 7th Place in State Fair Men’s Championship

Jaden Dumdumaya ties for 7th place in the State Fair Men’s Championship held at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex.


On September 6th Jaden played in the State Fair Men’s Championship for the 2nd year as the youngest player.
This year Jaden had a 9:24 tee time in the final foursome & he is up for the challenge. His older brother Vohn age 29, is his Caddie who keeps him focused & his dad Stan is his Coach. Jaden is surrounded by many family & friends along with his Grandparents who try to make every match.

Jaden Dumdumaya, 15, from Fairfield, CA, and a sophomore at De La Salle High School has been a Morton Golf Foundation recipient of the Junior Golf Grant for the past few years.

We have watched Jaden grow through golf on and off the course. When he is not playing golf he volunteers and enjoys helping others.

Continued good luck to Jaden!


Special Honor for Special Olympian Jeremy McCarthy

Jeremy McCarthy of the First Tee California Eagles Group receives Special Olympics Honor

Left to right: Rob Siebers, President Tom Morton, Jeremy McCarthy, Tom Corlett, Kelli Corlett, and Jane Siebers

On Tuesday, August 31st, 2021 Special Olympics of Northern California surprised Jeremy McCarthy and Tom Corlett with an invite to the Special Olympic Games USA in Orlando, FL in June, 2022. The pair has participated in the Northern California Alternate Shot Competition with Special Olympics for the past 10 years.

Jeremy and Tom have a very special bond and have been in each other’s lives for the past 35 years. Jeremy’s mom and Tom’s wife are the closest friends and used to work together.


Jeremy and Tom co-coach one of the groups within the California Eagle Golf Program and have been for the past 11 years. The two make quite a pair and we could not be more happy and proud of them!

Jeremy began his golf career at the age of 6 with lessons from Golf Professional Dick McShane at Haggin Oaks.



Tom Morton plays in the 2021 Villara Capital Cup for the Morton Golf Foundation

We are so lucky to have Tom Morton, President of Morton Golf Foundation commit for the second year in a row to play in the 2021 Villara Capital Cup this September 24 – 26, 2021.

This is a 3-day golf tournament as Tom joins 32 other fellow Sacramento business leaders to raise funds for local charities and non-profits. Tom has selected Morton Golf Foundation as his charity of choice and we are off and running raising funds to give back to local youth, disabled and underserved.

Last year Morton Golf Foundation raised $40,000.00 through the Villara Capital Cup. Tom’s goal this year is to exceed $50,000.00. Last year, our claim to fame was when Morton Golf Foundation won the category of having the most individual donors of any other foundation participating in the event! Let’s continue to make this our annual WIN.  

All donations go directly to the Morton Golf Foundation and help Tom win the grand prize on the foundation’s behalf. With every $5,000.00 that Morton Golf Foundation raises in advance, Tom earns a “mulligan” which can only help Tom more toward winning a share of the $100,000.00 grand prize.

Please consider contributing (of any comfortable amount) through the Villara Capital Cup page at:

The last date and time to donate to this event will be on Saturday, September 25th at 5:00 p.m.

Feel free to pass this information on to any and all of your friends. Every day something great happens at Morton Golf Foundation. Each day we create success stories by helping our juniors, disabled and underserved grow.

Join us in making this be our most successful Villara Capital Cup ever. Competition is high and Tom is up for the challenge.