Morton Golf Foundation Archives - Morton Golf Foundation

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!

First Annual Sacramento Junior Championship Presented by Morton Golf Foundation

The first annual Sacramento Junior Championship was held at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex on March 28 – 31, 2024.

In the fall of 2023, two members of the AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) came to Haggin Oaks to discuss with Morton Golf Foundation thoughts about hosting an AJGA junior tournament at Haggin Oaks.

Morton Golf Foundation had the vision of knowing they wanted to allow junior golfers to participate in the best competition at the most prestigious junior tour in the United States right here in Sacramento. This allowed several junior golfers in Northern California to sleep in their own bed and compete on a golf course they had competed on before. The seed was planted, and a five-year commitment contract was signed.

Groundskeepers sweeping and rolling rain off of the putting green

The first annual AJGA tournament was held at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex on the MacKenzie Golf Course on March 28 – 31, 2024. The field featured 96 juniors, ages 12-18, with a mixture of boys and girls. The excitement was overwhelming as the junior players anticipated that this tour would have college coaches looking at the players in the hope of offering college scholarships.

AJGA tournaments are played all around the United States. The AJGA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women players. The mission of the AJGA Foundation mirrors the mission of Morton Golf Foundation. When AJGA staff stepped onto the property of Haggin Oaks and began working with the Morton Golf staff it was seamless in providing a first-class event.

We are all excited for the future AJGA events at Haggin Oaks as we continue to give junior golfers their opportunity to shine.

Mark your calendar for April 17 – 20, 2025 to see the BEST junior golf talent playing right

A “Hoppy” 27th Annual Easter Egg Hunt At Haggin Oaks!

The 27th Annual Free Pancake Breakfast & Easter Egg Hunt started under cloudy skies. As the 6,000 plastic eggs were laid out for age 0-10 kids the sun started to come out. As the sun continued to shine the families came out in droves to enjoy the greatest Easter Egg Hunt ever.

The lines of families coming out to enjoy the FREE pancakes was as long as the eye could see. Everyone was smiling & laughing as they watched the colorful Easter Bunny make her way to hug each child see saw.

As the families enjoyed the delicious pancakes flipped by Chef Blanca they all had the opportunity to color their placemat. Then it was on to the start of the Egg Hunt near Hole #1 of Arcade Creek Golf Course. As the kids were waiting for the clock to tick to 11:00 am for the egg hunt to start they all made sure they signed their name in chalk so the Easter Bunny knew they were there.

Thanks to all the volunteers who made this possible. It takes an entire TEAM as we all believe in giving back to our Arden-Arcade community.

Mark your calendar for April 13th, 2025.

Hope to see you there!

Abigail Lin Advances to Drive Chip and Putt National Finals at Augusta

Local Junior Golfer from Folsom, CA Abigail Lin Advances to Augusta in the Girls 14 – 15 Age Division.

Abigail Lin, Morton Golf Foundation Junior Golf Development Grant Winner advances for the National Final Competition at Drive, Chip & Putt on Sunday, April 7^th, 2024.

At Chambers Bay, her fourth appearance in Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifying, Abigail Lin of Folsom, CA made her dream come true of winning to move on.

“It was the first time I hit all 3 drives in the grid”, says Abigail. “That was really good, actually. It gave me a lot of confidence for the rest of the competition.”

Abigail Lin has been a Morton Golf Foundation Junior Golf Development Grant Winner since 2019.

Continued good luck to Abigail representing our Greater Sacramento area!

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!

Students in Need of the Robla School District Receive Help Through Back to School Give Away

Sacramento Businesses & Non-Profits Come Together to Serve Students of the Robla School District.

The Optimist Club approached the Morton Golf Foundation with a request to assist the families of Robla School District in their Back to School Giveaway, and we were happy to say yes. This is the second year that Morton Golf Foundation has been involved in helping these families prepare for the upcoming school year.

The Robla School District consists of six schools, and on August 5th, 2023, the six schools and volunteers gathered at Robla Main Avenue Elementary School to make a positive impact. Approximately 40% of the students in this district are either unhoused or in foster care, making the Back to School giveaway an essential event in this community.

As the families entered the multi-purpose room at Robla Main Avenue Elementary School, they received a Passport, which served as their Student ID for the day, allowing them to visit various stations set up for them. These stations covered topics such as healthcare, library resources, oral care, and backpacks, among others.

Morton Golf Foundation had numerous dedicated volunteers, and they were honored to participate in this initiative. One touching moment during the event was when a young boy around 10 years old arrived with shoes several sizes too big, and they were also mismatched. At the Back to School Giveaway, he received his first new pair of shoes, bringing him immense joy, which he shared with his mother. After getting their new PUMA shoes, the families proceeded to receive underwear and socks, completing the necessary items for their first-day school outfit.

Language barriers were handled adeptly by creative volunteers who found ways to communicate with families who did not speak English. Carson & Heather Morton from the Morton Golf Foundation used Google Translate to efficiently address the needs of these families.

The Mixed Institute of Cosmetology and Barber set up a station at the Back to School Giveaway, providing 12 stylists to help students with their hair and grooming needs, all at no cost to the students. This was aimed at giving them a positive and memorable experience as they prepared for their first day of school.

To encourage students to explore all the stations, they were entered into a raffle if they got their Passport stamped at each location. The Sacramento Police Department generously donated a FREE bicycle as a raffle prize.

Students were also educated on physical activities and fun ways to stay active throughout the year by Coach Roz from Playmakers and Coach Asley Noda from First Tee – Greater Sacramento.

The overall goal of the event was to better educate students about healthcare and prepare them adequately for the school year. The community’s compassionate leaders played a significant role in helping these families, and as students left, they were provided with a “to go” non-perishable box of food for future meals, courtesy of Food for Families.

This event showcased a remarkable collaboration among community leaders, all coming together to make a difference in the lives of these students. The support thorugh this event will continue to create an even better future for them.

Mini Golf Night Organized by Ietetsu Ueyama Dubbed “Ueyama Fundraiser”

18-Year-Old Ietetsu Ueyama Organizes Fundraiser to Benefit Junior Golf Development Programs With Morton Golf Foundation

At the age of 8 a junior golfer, Ietetsu Ueyama, decided he wanted to host a birthday party at Haggin Oaks, but he didn’t want his friends to give him a gift. He asked that his friends give a donation toward Morton Golf Foundation to support junior golf. The day ended with Ietetsu donating $455.00 to Morton Golf Foundation so another junior golfer could have the opportunity to play the game. More recently, Ueyema organized a mini golf night.

Ten years later, on July 17^th, 2023, Ietetsu Ueyama, now 18 years old wanted to create another fundraiser to support Morton Golf Foundation. With all proceeds going to support junior golf development grants and grow their game through tournaments, coaching, and equipment.

For the past 4 months, Ietetsu has been using his great personality and skills by asking his friends and families for support in growing his next fundraiser.

Ietetsu has been a volunteer for Morton Golf Foundation since he has been 4 ½ years old. At that time, he attended an “Easter Egg Hunt” at Haggin Oaks and decided that day that he was going to volunteer. For the past 14 years, Ietetsu has been an active volunteer in helping raise funds to give back to other non-profits to grow the game of golf. When he turned 18, he decided that he wanted to give back into adulthood and called the Morton Golf Foundation to discuss his newest adventure with creating his next fundraiser. The idea come about at a Committee meeting to have a Mini Golf Night knowing that whoever he asked to participate could join in whether they played golf or not.

On Monday evening, July 17^th the fundraiser kicked off with 7 putting teams participating along with several donors that provided the opportunity for a junior to participate.

30 participants gathered in the 107-degree heat starting at 5:00 p.m. One participant was quoted as saying, “We had so much fun at the event that I don’t remember how hot it was.”

As the evening came to an end, a wonderful catered dinner was provided in the Pavilion Tent by his family, owners of Shoki Ramen House, 2530 21^st Street, Sacramento.

The Winning team was won by Kelli Corlett, Ellis Morton, Evan Morton, Kenny Castro & Alex Cooper with a score of only 26 putts.

This year Ietetsu’s fundraiser will donate nearly $2,000 to support future junior golf development grants!

Frank LaRosa, a friend and board member of Morton Golf Foundation was the emcee of the event. Frank interviewed Ietetsu and asked if he would wait another 10 years to do a fundraiser since he did one at age 8 and age 18. Ietetsu answered back, “I’ll do one every year”.

Are hats are off to our friend IETETSU UEYAMA for believing in the mission and organizing a thrilling mini-golf night. It is philanthropy like his that continues to help all ages of people through this amazing sport of golf, character building, and competition for a lifetime.

Morton Golf Foundation Scholarship Winners

This year Morton Golf Foundation awarded 18 scholarships to graduating high school seniors.

At “Golf & Guitars” VIP Singer /Songwriters night the scholarships were awarded to acknowledge each of the winners’ high school achievements.

A crowd of 500 cheered them on to wish them success as they continue on into their future.

Congratulations to all of our scholarship winners. We look forward to seeing their continued success!

From your friends at

Morton Golf Foundation

The 2023 Morton Golf Foundation Educational Scholarship Winners Have Been Announced

Congratulations go out to the 2023 Morton Golf Foundation 18 Educational Scholarship WINNERS

$8,500.00 CATEGORY:

“Dusel Family Scholarship” – Kenny Castro $8,500.00 from Jesuit H.S. will be attending the University of Puget Sound

“An experience that has had the most impact is volunteering at Cal Eagles golf program with Adults with disabilities. My first instinct was to try to get to know them; I went around & introduced myself to everyone, and asked questions about each of their lives.”

$5,000.00 CATEGORY:

“Rocket Restrooms & Fencing, Inc. Scholarship” – Jason Chou $5,000.00 from Jesuit H.S. will be attending Gonzaga University

“I was taught that perseverance meant never giving up, respect was being kind & generous to others, and integrity was doing the right thing when nobody was looking.”

“Jane & Rob Siebers Community Service Award” – Ietetsu Ueyama $5,000.00 from Sacramento Waldorf H.S. will be attending Santa Monia College

“Golf will forever stay with me and the lessons I’ve learned through the First Tee, Morton Golf Foundation & my mentors will continue to stay with me.”

$4,500.00 CATEGORY:

Chelsea McMahon $4,500.00 from St. Francis H.S. will be attending St. Mary’s College

“I find such inspiration and purpose in making a difference in the lives of the disabled, and am considering a career path that allows me to do that.”

“Ogilvie Merwin Vintners Scholarship” – Joshua Galindo $4,500.00 from Da Vinci Charter will be attending Towson University

“Growing up playing golf with people of all ages and abilities and backgrounds has taught me how to put myself out there, speak with strangers, shake hands and make eye contact – make and keep connections.”

$3,000.00 CATEGORY: –

Nikki Chindavong $3,000.00 from A.Rodriguez H.S. will be attending University of Nevada – Reno

“I learned that everything happens for a reason and in every aspect of life, we can find wins to celebrate.”

“Pat Mailey Memorial Scholarship” – Julia Geer $3,000.00 from St. Francis H.S. will be attending Cal Poly

“Accountability is the core value that I have taken away from golf and will continue to influence my life.”

$2,500.00 CATEGORY:

“Sacramento Golf Council Scholarship” – Jennifer Chan $2,500.00 from Inderkum H.S. will be attending UC Irvine

“I consider sportsmanship to be a necessary quality that has guided me as I traversed through life.”

$2,000.00 CATEGORY:

“Western Engineering Contractors Scholarship” – Theresa Shaw $2,000.00 from Bear River H.S. will be attending Biola University

“At a very young age I decided to put the major core value of honesty as my first principle to abide by in everything I do on and off the course.”

$1,600.00 CATEGORY:

“Murray Family Charitable Trust” – Mateo Castro $1,600.00 from Inderkum H.S. will be attending New Mexico State University

“Golf is a simple yet complex game that requires a lot of patience.”

$1,000.00 CATEGORY:

“Bosley Electric Company Scholarship” – Carson Morton $1,000.00 from Rocklin H.S. will be attending Colorado State University

“I learned that stepping outside of my comfort zone can be a rewarding and enriching experience.”

Sydney Hurter $1,000.00 from St. Francis H.S. University attending is TBD

“Golf has taught me patience, self-respect, honesty, focus, attention to detail, and the importance of sharing family time while exercising.”

Kara Shimazu $1,000.00 from McClatchy H.S. will be attending UC Davis

“I learned that personal victories carry a lot of weight, even if they might not look like victories from the outside.”

Haley Wong $1,000.00 from Oak Ridge H.S. will be attending UCLA

“My volunteer service shows my desire to give back and help the community and the officer positions I hold present my leadership skills and the extra responsibilities that I have taken on.”

“Kevin Sharp Memorial Scholarship” – Connor Gallagher $1,000.00 from Argonaut H.S. will be attending San Joaquin Delta College

“The most important core value I have taken from the game of golf is integrity and its value is essential because it allows me to grow as a person in a career and in life.”

“Valley Hi Country Club Women’s Group Scholarship” – Hannah Camara $1,000.00 from Pleasant Grove H.S. will be attending Westmont College

“Even while playing a tournament I have learned to never lose determination and to think positively.”

Christine Yu $1,000.00 from Vista Del Lago H.S. will be attending Claremont Mckenna College

“My creativity allows me to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions and my persistence pushes me to try until I find a plausible solution.”

“David Scott Scholarship” – Vincente Rodriguez $1,000.00 from Oak Ridge H.S. University attending is TBD

“I have been taught to respect those who give me opportunities in life to achieve in the future.”

Morton Golf Foundation wishes them well as they head to their next adventure.

TEAM Benbrook Law Group Wins 2023 “Putting Party”

The Annual Putting Party Fundraiser for Morton Golf Foundation crowned Team Benbrook Law Group as its 2023 winner.

The MacKenzie putting green was set-up with 18-holes of “fun” on Tuesday evening, May 9th. Fifteen Corporate Teams joined in the Morton Golf Foundation fundraiser where each team brought 5-putters and took the challenge of trying to win the 1st place spot.

This year, Benbrook Law Group brought their 5-person putting team of Brad Benbrook, Wes Ehlers, Tory Griffin, Greg Lauck & Dave Swanson to WIN the event.

All 15 teams put and laughed their way around the 18-hole putting course as they enjoyed appetizers, drinks, and a buffet dinner following.

The real winners are all the wonderful charities supported by Morton Golf Foundation.

Please join us next May when we meet again for more fun, laughter, and putting competition.

Hope to see you there!