Behind the scenes at the Laughlin Family Foundation’s third annual golf tournament

Longtime announcer for the Washington Capitals Craig Laughlin has local sports celebrities traveling to Maryland for a good cause, Monday.

The Laughlin Family Foundation held their third annual celebrity golf tournament at Crofton Country Club. The event allows Capitals fans a chance to rub elbows or complete a round of golf with some of the area’s biggest sports stars and personalities. It has also raised nearly a quarter million dollars ($220,000) for unique cancer research – the most in the foundation’s history.

When anyone experiences a Laughlin event for the first time, it’s hard not to return for years to come. I’ll do my best to explain why.

In the beginning, there are always surprises. A year after Braden Holtby’s appearance, Capitals forward TJ Oshie surprised guests when they checked in early in the morning.

Oshie, a golf fanatic, wanted to play, but ended up being too busy with the schedule, which included coaching his girls’ softball team in the afternoons. So Oshie contributed something to the auction where he would golf with a group in the future. The movement raised nearly five-figure donations before the event began. Oshie also signed autographs and posed for photos with just about everyone, including one of his biggest fans – NASCAR driver and fellow celebrity sports guest Ryan Ellis.

Photo: Ian Oland/RMNB

Both athletes had a long journey to attend. Ellis, a day after flying home from Kansas Speedway (he finished 17th in the Xfinity race there), drove a combined 16 hours over two days from his home in Charlotte, NC to join the festival. Meanwhile, Oshie woke up at dawn and drove nearly three hours round trip just to shake hands for an hour or two.

Almost everyone who spoke to Oshie noted his optimism for the season ahead. He has a full summer to train for the first time in years.

The foundation’s golf outing brought together the Washington Capitals’ new coaching staff – Spencer Carbery, Mitch Love, Kirk Muller, and Scott Murray – for their first public event. (I may or may not have had a long conversation with Carbery about zone entries and told Muller that he was my favorite target to review my NES video games as a kid. . Yes.) It also brought together two of the Capitals’ biggest stars of the past, Peter Bondra (503 career goals) and Olie Kolzig (2000 Vezina Trophy).

The event officially kicks off at 10 a.m. with all the celebrity sports guests – including Joe Beninati, Alan May, Brent Johnson, Karl Alzner, Ken Sabourin, John Walton, Chris Miller, Alexa Landestoy, and Tarik El-Bashir – gets NHL quality introduction by Capitals PA announcer Wes Johnson.

Photo: Ashley Estill

Bob McDonald then sang the national anthem, which felt more poignant and powerful than usual on the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

When I arrived at McDonald’s on the golf course later, a smiling Laughlin found us and told Bob “good job.” He then turned to me and did one of those loud whispers so Bob could hear too. “I only asked him to sing the song because Caleb Green said no.” We all laughed.

The hum of the golf course is as toasty as the drinks served at the house Ferm Brewing. Vida Taco Bar and belongs to Frederick County GlamourView Creamery provides food and ice cream. There are free oysters at Hole 16 from Hollywood Oysters. I ate like a king.

I spent most of my afternoon chatting with guests and hanging out on the putting green where Beninati hosted a Beat the Joe chipping contest. Whoever beat the play-by-play announcer by chipping the ball closer to the pin than him was entered into a raffle to win a signed wedge from Beninati later that night.

Joe B, a golf fanatic, chipped hundreds of balls on a hot, humid day, soundly beating almost all of his challengers. He looks good on the air, but the guy has a competition like Michael Jordan and the verbal zingers of one Steven Oleksy. I have personally witnessed only two winners: Peter Bondra and Karl Alzner.

(Bob McDonald also wants me to mention that he also beat Joe B, which goes to show you what a crown it was.)

Me and Joe B (Photo: Ian Oland/RMNB)

I made sure to walk around the golf course in a golf cart. Even if I had to do it in a cart that wasn’t assigned to me because Craig Laughlin is a thief! “It had free drinks so I thought it was mine,” he inadequately explained later.

I’m not sure what golf etiquette is, especially while driving a golf cart, but I kind of stopped short when I noticed a group of guys swinging from the fairway. I watched in awe as Dave Mummert drove off the fairway 64 yards to eagle the par 4 15th hole.

They seemed very happy that I was there. “Now someone will believe us if we put it on our scorecard.”

Mummert’s outstanding shot helped propel the foursome of Matt McDougal, Mike Viscardi, and Mark Villee to their third straight tournament victory, capturing the prestigious Sunoco Cup.

Golfing eventually gives way to mingling inside the banquet hall at Crofton Country Club where there will be a buffet dinner and live and silent auctions. There are autographed bobbleheads, jerseys, and Backe apples. Memorable live auction experiences include wine tastings and cruises around the Chesapeake Bay with Joe B and Locker. Kolzig and May teamed up to win one of two wine experiences at the house of Joe B. The most epic item was a frame with an Alex Ovechkin and Wayne Gretzky autographed jersey.

Bidding is contrary to what is reserved and restricted because more than $100k has flown into the foundation’s account. It seems practical
everyone left with something cool.

The event’s title sponsor for the second year in a row, Researching Financial Strategies, more than providing money to make the tournament happen. John Reutemann, the founder and CEO, was at the event all day and enthusiastically handed out free cigars on the golf course to the participants. During a speech in the banquet hall, Reutemann became emotional talking about the positive experience he had working with the Laughlins. Of course, the Laughlins didn’t send Reutemann home empty-handed. They surprised him with a framed crew shirt from the NASCAR Xfinity race in Bristol in 2022. Research Financial Strategies is one of Ryan Ellis’ sponsors in that race.

Photo: Courtney Laughlin

At the end of the night, I went to the back bar where I ran into Kolzig, who was recently part of the Hershey Bears’ Calder Cup championship team as a development coach. The last time I talked to him, we did a TV segment together a decade ago for CRL where I re-enacted his funny wine commercial from the late ’90s.

I always make it awkward by saying he was my favorite player as a kid, but… he was my favorite player as a kid. During his playing days, Kolzig toiled in the minor leagues before making it. And when he did, he was legendary. He became one of the best goaltenders in the league, leading the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup Final berth. Olie is a fiery man who plays his heart on his sleeve. He’s as open and honest as one can be in the media without ice, too. He’s easy to root for because he doesn’t obfuscate who he is.

His sense of community and striving to improve the lives of others is best demonstrated by how he dedicates a large portion of his time to raising awareness for autism because of his son Carson. In many ways, he taught Young Me how to be a leader from afar. I am grateful for the time he shared with me.

My night ended when I took a photo of my sandpaper-y frenemy Alan May, who pulled my ear and tried to stop me from taking photos with Kolzig. So we are in midseason form.

When I asked Courtney Laughlin at the end of the night what the numbers were, she told me they hosted 136 golfers and about 175 people for dinner that day. They also have more than 25 corporate sponsors and partners. It was their biggest event to date.

The work of philanthropy that the Laughlins have done – just a few short years into the foundation’s existence – is not only remarkable, but extraordinary.

In 2018, the family found inspiration from its rock, Linda Laughlin and her battle with uterine serous carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of uterine cancer. The family has since dedicated a large part of their life’s work to eliminate rare gynecologic cancers through the connections they have established in the area for almost the entire existence of the Capitals.

This is what I think I know. The Laughlin party is legendary because of the family’s love for themselves and the Capitals community. It comes down to Courtney’s meticulous planning and relationship building – the countless hours she spends making sure everyone is having fun. When a brief downpour stopped the afternoon play, he turned to me and asked, “Do you think this would ruin one’s experience?” I quickly answered, “Oh gosh, not at all.” It goes out to what I nickname the “mission control desk” inside, where Linda and a dozen volunteers dedicate their day before and their Monday to getting every detail right. It came out of the kindness of Kyle – a new father who came to talk to me at the banquet even though his daughter was asleep in his arms. And it comes out to Craig, who has the energy of a thousand days when he is surrounded by people who share his love for the team.

When someone comes to a Craig Laughlin event, they are considered a part of his family. It builds connections that go beyond hockey, creating nights you’ll never forget.

And that’s why I’m excited for next year.

Header image: Ashley Estill