May 18, 2016

43rd Annual Lou Grubb Friends Fore Golf & Gala

Derrick Hall, president and CEO, the Arizona Diamondbacks

The Lou Grubb Friends Fore Golf & Gala committee took a great fundraising event and made it even greater, proving that whisky, wine and cheese are not that only things that get better with age. The golf and gala combination benefit Barrow Neurological Institute and Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center.

Committee member Brandon Walraff after heli-ball drop

This year’s kickoff gala on April 21 was hosted at a new venue, the Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch, offering more room for the expanding guest list. It was a night of boas, pearls, fedoras and fun, Roaring ’20s style. Guests enjoyed cocktails while mingling in an elegant courtyard setting, stepping into the photo booth for fun mugshots with friends and oohing over beautifully restored vintage automobiles. The evening culminated with dinner and a presentation emceed by Derrick Hall, president and CEO of the Arizona Diamondbacks, capped off by a live auction and the Take 5 after party.

On April 22, hundreds of golfers descended on McCormick Ranch Golf Club for the tournament. Golfers were treated to a sunny day and several exciting tournament novelties, courtesy of the creative organizing committee.

Just before the shotgun start, the Penguin Air Newschopper, with Valley traffic reporter Bruce Haffner at the controls, hovered overhead for a golf-ball drop raffle, in which one lucky winner earned a $2,000 cash prize. Players were also invited to try out the golf-ball cannon, a point-and-shoot gun designed to launch a ball 300 to 400 yards.

The committee had planned for cool treats on the course, including an ice cream stand and remote margarita station. Just before dusk, the last players turned in their score cards and settled in for the awards dinner, hosted annually by committee member Roger Maxwell. Maxwell served as co-chair of the committee this year along with Dan Grubb, the son of Lou and Evelyn Grubb.

The second annual Lou and Evelyn Grubb Spirit Award was presented to Maxwell for his philanthropic spirit and enduring commitment to helping others. He was honored with a standing ovation during the opening night gala. Maxwell became involved with the tournament at the grassroots level in the 1970s, not long after he was befriended by founding organizer Lou Grubb. The two were drawn together by a shared passion for golf and a propensity for charitable giving. Their friendship lasted for decades, until Grubb’s passing in 2012.

PHOTOS BY D2 PRODUCTIONS