B&B 36

Years ago, I started the Bucket of Hope Junior Tour(BOHTour).  I wanted a tour that I could walk around at and help the players while they were playing.  I then wanted it to mean something more than just playing golf.  I thought with our youth it would be fun to try and raise some money for different causes throughout the community.  I reached out to all the golf professionals around Dane County and over night the tour was born.  Our mission was to “promote junior golf while rising money for the community”.  Golf had fallen to a back page sport and that was unacceptable to me.  I thought if I blended the two, golf and community we might get some attention.  The tour so fast that the Wisconsin PGA contacted me about adopting my tour which at the time made a lot of sense.  Now the BOHTour exists within the Wisconsin Junior Tour.  Below you can see the 2021 schedule.  Originally every golf course was donated for the tournaments.  We charged $50.  Our responsibility at each tournament was to pay for lunch for each participant and the remaining proceeds came back to the foundation.  At the conclusion of each event there would be charitable ideas submitted by the players into the bucket of hope.  One idea would be pulled out of the bucket and all the remaining proceeds went to that cause.  It pretty much works that way now but the bucket and submitted ideas has gone away(for no real reason) and now it is just a lump sum for the “Kids for Hope” to make a decision on who to help.

This year I want to make a change to have this tournament series be developmental just like B&B 36.  There is a new development scale(very much like the handicap system) placed right on top of the current tour.  This development scale does not focus on winning or the best players.  The development scale is about being competitive with yourself. Please see below.

Level 1 0-3

Level 2 4-6

Level 3 7-9

Level 4 10-12

Level 5 13-15

Level 6 16-18

Level 7 19-21

Level 8 22-24

Level 9 25-27

Level 10 28+

Example: Player A plays in the first designated event and shoots 90 on a par 72. 

This score would put the player in Level 6(16-18 our version of a handicap).  In the next designated event Player A shoots 87.  Player A has passed out of Level 7 and is now in Level 6.  This is where the magic happens.  For every level a player passes the Balance & Believe Foundation will donate a specified dollar amount in Player A’s name to the charity designated by the Junior Board.  The more levels a player passes the more money that will donated in the player’s name.  With 100 players participating in each event the amount of money can be significant. 

This format also allows for the players to move up and play with other players of similar skill level.  This way the development is about passing levels and not about winning or how the players do in comparison to other players.  This is an individual competition with themselves.  It also takes the focus off the best players because the levels that they can pass will be limited due to the fact that they are already in a high level.

 

Hope for Kids Charity Golf Tournament

August 23rd, 2021

Balance & Believe and the MACC Fund have partnered in the battle against childhood cancer.  The MACC Fund stands for Midwest Athletes against Childhood Cancer and is a pillar in the Milwaukee communities.  With their new commitment to the Carbone Cancer Center they are trying to make a name for themselves in the states capitol.  Balance & Believe plus the MACC Fund has found a home at Blackhawk Country Club to host its biggest Madison fundraiser through the game of golf.  Blackhawk is now the host site for “Kids For Hope”.  We think this tournament could become one of the most recognized golf tournaments in the city and plan to pour all of our efforts into making this something everyone will know about.