Wendy’s Charity Classic: Not your typical golf outing

The Wendy’s Charity Classic has raised over $1,000,000 for foster care adoption programs in Michigan. It’s not your typical golf scramble; the 5th man is actually a woman and, more importantly, an LPGA Tour veteran now playing The Legends Tour, the official senior tour of the LPGA.

“The Wendy franchisees in Jackson wanted to do more than just another golf outing,” says Elaine Crosby, a Michigan resident and two-time LPGA champion. “So I brought in some of my friends from the LPGA Tour for a pro-am. We raised over $100,000 that first year.” 

Fast forward to 2007 when the event raised $170,000 to push the totals past the million dollar mark. “Things have definitely evolved since we started,” notes Crosby, “Maybe because now I’m on The Legends Tour (laughs), but I think bringing in the more experienced pros who have played the LPGA for years and now can actually enjoy the game has brought so much personality to our pro-am.”

In addition to the pro-am, fans can catch these Legends Tour pros in action the day before in a sort of “mini shoot-out” called the Wendy’s Charity Challenge. It’s an 18-hole tournament played at the Country Club of Jackson for a $100,000 purse.

Mark Behm, President of Stanton & Associates, Inc., the Wendy’s franchise hosting this annual pro-am, touts the event’s unique pairings pary: “We have virtually doubled our guest list from the first year for the party we hold the night before the pro-am,” says Behm. “We started doing theme parties in 2003 – safari, island cruise, circus, Mexican fiesta. Last year we were totally under water and out to sea with all kinds of ocean stuff. Our tournament director dressed like a scuba diver.”

Add to that a one-of-a-kind party emcee in Jim Brandstatter and you’ve got a night to remember. Golfers and guests browse a 70-item silent auction and engage in bidding wars with Brandstatter over 7-10 high end items in the live auction. This comes after listening to a few waiting children share their stories. “240 people and you can hear a pin drop in that room when those kids get up to speak,” says Behm.

The Legends of the LPGA may shape the event’s personality, but the focus is definitely on the cause. “I play in many charity events,” says Jan Stephenson, the number one player on The Legends Tour with three wins and 12 top ten finishes in 17 starts. Stephenson also won 16 times on the LPGA Tour, including three major championships. “This one in Jackson is first class all the way. It’s a pleasure to be part of something that touches so many lives in a positive way.”

The Wendy’s Charity Classic will be held August 10-11, 2008 at the Country Club of Jackson. The Legends Tour professional event starts at 12:00 noon on Sunday; the party is at 5:30 p.m. that evening. For more information, please contact Tournament Director Sue Fracker at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it