CBS golf commentator David Feherty has seen some ugly swings in his life–and he saw quite a few more on Monday at Medinah Country Club, whose pristine greens and fairways endured a swarm of corporate titans/weekend hackers playing to benefit the American Cancer Society.
Feherty, the event’s emcee, stood at the first tee of course No. 3 as Mark McGowan stepped up. “I’m a little nervous with David watching,” muttered McGowan, a senior vice president at Raymond James Financial.
“That’s how I like it,” deadpanned Feherty, who was just “roving and insulting people,” as he put it.
McGowan took his practice swing. “That’s the swing you’re going to use?!” Feherty said, in mock horror.
McGowan bravely forged on, driving the ball well down the fairway.
It was a good start to a great day for 64 foursomes, who played 18 holes on courses Nos. 1 and 3, then stayed for dinner and a live auction. The outing, the 10th annual Chicago Select Golf Invitational, raised some $550,000 for the ACS.
Mark Twain famously called golf “a good walk spoiled,” but the competitors clearly savored the chance to take on one of the world’s finest courses, which will host the 2006 PGA Championship.
“That’s why I’m here,” said Christy Russell, a medical oncologist who flew in from Los Angeles, after sinking a 2-foot putt. “It’s a fabulous course–the beauty, the trees–so to play it is money well spent.”
That’s just what Keith Bank had in mind when he walked into the ACS office in the Loop 11 years ago and said, “I’d like to raise money for you by putting together a high-end golf tournament.”
The non-profit recognized a can-do guy when they saw one–Bank is founder and chairman of Northbrook-based KB Partners, a venture capital firm. They took him up on his offer, and in 10 years the event has raised more than $3.5 million.
“It’s the largest golf fundraiser in the country for the ACS,” Bank said, before smacking a 170-yard shot over a pond to within 15 feet of the hole, then two-putting for par.
“I just thought, as opposed to having a party somewhere,” he said, sliding his putter into his bag, “why not do something I enjoy and that will attract friends I know who will write big checks.”
Among the big spenders Monday were: Bob Fealy, CFO at Duchossois Industries; General Growth Properties senior VP Louis Bucksbaum; David Nolan, senior VP at Skokie-based Forsythe Technology; Tom Schwartz, group president, First Midwest Bank; Alex Dimitrief, a Kirkland & Ellis partner; Mitchell Andrews, executive VP of insurer The Plexus Groupe; Andrew Berlin, CEO of Berlin Packaging; and NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace, a self-declared golf fanatic who flew in on a private jet from his home in North Carolina.
Earlier, Feherty gave an in-depth clinic on the short game. Looking on, Holland & Knight partner Rob Mintz puffed a cigar and shook his head. “I can’t believe how much there is to know about golf,” he said (before noting the irony of smoking at this particular fundraiser). “We never knew you had to think so much,” added his pal Arnold Brown, a senior VP at LaSalle Bank. “This is a good counterpoint to `Just swing, dummy.'”
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lhahn@tribune.com
