Fore-get Me Not: PlumpJack/LINK Golf Tourney

May 19, 2009

No lobsters were served at the PlumpJack/LINK Golf Classic. But after a wind-whipped day on the greens at the Lake Merced Golf & Country Club, the face of many a golfer arriving for the awards dinner at the Clubhouse bore a bright lobster red hue.

Hosted by the the PlumpJack Group in support of the Northern California Cancer Center, this group of dedicated golfers (which includes a few duffers, too) raised $175K for the NCCC’s LINK Fund which provides research and education programs to breast cancer patients and their families.

Founded 10 years ago by Hilary Newsom Callan and her husband, Geoff Callan, the tournament is also personally poignant as it was conceived as a tribute to the late Tessa Newsom (mother of Hilary Callan and Mayor Gavin Newsom), who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2002.

But the tourney has coincided with some happy, pivotal moments in the Callan couple’s life: Geoff proposed to Hilary at the first tournament; they announced the impending arrivals of their daughters, Talitha and Sienna, at later tournaments.

And in ten years of tourneys, this dynamic duo has raised $2 million for the NCCC.

Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Mayor Gavin Newsom

Always a sell-out, this day-long day on the green is a good time in support of a great cause.

Well, except perhaps in the mind of golfer Brandt Hooker who later deadpanned, “What was W.C. Field’s line about golf? Something like, ‘A good walk, ruined’!”

But at least there were good snacks during that windy “walk” along the greens: this year, between holes, golfers were treated to margaritas and super snacks (Kobe beef sliders, ceviche, duck crepes) created by big city chefs who were filming a Food Network docu-series about private chefs in San Francisco.

And the awards dinner featured it’s own delish delights with Eye on the Bay host Liam Mayclem suavely serving as emcee; comedian Dave Burleigh warming up the crowd prior to a lively live auction led by Bonham & Butterfield’s Senior VP Patrick Meade; and singer-songwriter Eoin Harrington wowed the crowd as he crooned tunes from atop a baby grand piano.

Masaaki Tanaka, President and CEO of Union Bank of California (the lead PlumpJack/LINK sponsor), greeted the dinner crowd with a tease: “As a member of this country club, if you have not yet repaired your divot, you still have time to go back out on the green and fix it.”

But Tanaka was not teasing when he pledged $25K to the tourney’s take for the NCCC.

He spoke of a bank employee who was battling breast cancer and worried about taking too much time off of work.

“I assured her that her only job now was to get well,” explained Tanaka. “And I told her to take all the time she needed to complete that job.”

“This is a disease that touches everyone,” said Tanaka. “The fight is far from over. But with every walk and every golf tournament, we all can make a difference.”

Stay tuned: Hilary and Geoff Callan will honored (Nov. 4) for their dedication and service at the NCCC’s 35th Anniversary Celebration.

Check out the photos below.