Ingram’s Magazine Launches Unique Charity Golf Tournament

by Joe Sweeney

The Ingram’s CEOpen will be played at Prairie Highlands Golf Course in Olathe, one of the top public courses in Kansas. The eighth hole (above, looking back from behind the green) is one of the signature holes on the course, which opened in 2001.

Over the years we at Ingram’s have used this column to recognize area charities and noble not-for-profit initiatives. This time, we do so, but with a twist. For it is Ingram’ itself that is launching this charity drive.

The event is called the CEOpen, a no-handicap tournament for corporate executives and their guests to be held on Monday, June 6, at the Prairie Highlands Golf Course in Olathe. Its primary beneficiary this introductory year is as worthy a charity as we know, the American Cancer Society. The CEO of the Society’s Heartland Division, Ted Buckland, is eager to use the proceeds to “fund pioneering cancer research.”

“The American Cancer Society is very excited about this opportunity to team up with leaders from across Kansas City in the fight against cancer,” adds Buckland.

To make the occasion memorable, and to increase participation and giving, we have designed the CEOpen to be the single most competitive executive tournament in Kansas City. To heighten the drama, we will feature the winners on our front cover and our competitors in the pages of our June issue. Our golfers will play to win, not only the CEOpen, but also the fight against cancer. In either case, victory demands the will to win.

That will begin with your commitment. To make this event a Kansas City tradition, we need the support of corporate sponsors and to recruit teams to participate. Sponsorships and relevant tax benefits are noted on the opposite page.

For those sponsors and players who do help out, much of the June issue of Ingram’s will be dedicated to coverage of the CEOpen, including a photo essay of the day’s activities, interviews with the winning teams and recog-nition of sponsors and benefactors of this great event. The results will be seen and read by 100,000 of the area’s most influential citizens—the readers of Ingram’s magazine.

As to specifics, the CEOpen will be staged at Prairie Highlands, ranked No. 3 among Kansas’ best public courses by Golf Week and Golf Magazine. It will challenge the skills of the most experienced golfer. The par-72, 7,100-yard course truly was designed with the golfer in mind.

There are two divisions, Open and Corporate, and a special flight just for CEOs, or the top area executive of a given company. All are open to both men and women.

In the teams division, each team will play in a non-handicap competition on behalf of a non-profit of the team’s choice. This not being an appropriate venue for controversy, we would suggest that teams avoid political, religious or educational benefactors. There will be a Benefactor Luncheon at a later date where the winning teams and their benefactors, along with our sponsors, will share in the experience of giving and receiving.

In the open division, any executive golfer can recruit three players regardless of where they work. The Shambles format enables teams to select their best drive and to play individually from that point. Both team and individual scores will be recorded. At stake is a portion of the tournament proceeds, which the winning teams will donate to the charities of its choice.

In the corporate division, an executive can choose three other players employed full time by the company. At stake here too are tournament proceeds, which the winning team will donate to the charities of its choice.

The top-scoring individual male and female in the tournament will receive a plaque signifying his and her accomplishment, as will the top scoring CEO.

The real winner, of course, is the American Cancer Society and those charities that benefit from the win-ning teams. Ingram’s readers have helped make Kansas City America’s most giving city. We are confident that you will step up to the tee once again for this great cause.

“Like other community initiatives we’re involved with at Ingram’s, the success of the CEOpen and the benefit to local charities will result from executives and their companies stepping forward to pledge their commitment,” Ingram’s Publisher Joe Sweeney said. “With your help, we can make the CEOpen a very fun and effective annual success that generates extensive support for local charities.”

For more information, please call 816.842.9994, 816.268.6424, email CEOpen@IngramsOnLine.com or go to read all about it at www.CEOpen.com.