Golfing in style at the Wannabe Cup

Black Butte Ranch hosted a picturesque fund-raising golf event last weekend. It is called the Wannabe Cup at the inspiration of the founders who were admiring the Ryder Cup and wishing that they could have participated.

Since 1999, the Wannabe Cup has been held four times at golf courses in Central Oregon and, for the first time, was held at Black Butte Ranch on Friday and Saturday, August 11-12.

The event uses a similar format to that of the Ryder Cup with two teams participating. The trophy is a cup fashioned after the Ryder Cup Trophy and passes from team to team along with the bragging rights after each annual event.

The charity chairman of the event is Marilyn Belcher, who is called Mama Bee by all the participants. Mama Bee explained that, although this is a fun event, the real purpose is to raise money for the families of victims of Spinal Muscle Atrophy (SMA).

SMA is a genetic motor neuron disease and affects the voluntary muscles that are used for activities such as crawling, walking, head and neck control, and swallowing. Approximately 1 in 6,000 babies born are affected, and about 1 in 40 people are genetic carriers.

Mama Bee explained that the tournament began in 1999 with eight players. It has since grown to 36 players, which event organizers consider the maximum number of players that can be accommodated in this type of event. Participation is by invitation only. The team members come from around the country and all walks of life.

There are two teams, the Blue and the White, each of which has its own flavor.

The Blue Team takes its inspiration from the late Payne Stewart who was on the winning American Ryder Cup Team of 1999 and who died tragically in an aviation accident less than a month later.

The Blue Team members dress in Plus-fours, a loose fitting knee length pant, which are often called knickers by Americans.

The White Team seems to have taken its stimulus from the European Ryder Cup Team members who favor the bright colored solid and plaid pants favored by many European golfers.

It is all in good fun, and the Wannabe Cup raises considerable funds for its charity. Although the totals are not yet in, it is clear that more than $5,000 was raised this year to directly assist victims of SMA.

The White Team collected the trophy and it will rest in the chambers of the judge who was the team captain until the rematch next year.