CaddyHack IV charity golf tournament tees off Aug. 3

Like the unsinkable dancing gopher from the 1980 blockbuster comedy Caddyshack, COVID-19 won’t prevent a reimagined, social-distancing compliant version of philanthropist Ernie Hahn’s CaddyHack IV charity golf tournament from teeing off Monday, Aug. 3, at Fairbanks Ranch Country Club. Hahn’s Caddyshack-themed golf festival will immerse 144 golfers in its wacky and irreverent world of fun, while raising revenue for Boys to Men Mentoring Network.

Hahn conjured up CaddyHack four years ago as a meaningful way to mark his 50th birthday. The co-founder and managing partner of the Wonderfront Music Festival channeled his passion for golfing and his knack for hosting signature events into a charity golf extravaganza benefiting a cause close to his heart: Boys to Men Mentoring Network. The San Diego-based nonprofit provides weekly group mentoring to hundreds of fatherless and at-risk teenage boys.

The action-packed, retro-fashion golf tournament showcases San Diego-centric surprises on every hole: craft beer from San Diego’s best breweries, mouthwatering bites of specialty dishes prepared by regional food purveyors, and an eclectic line-up of 20 local musical talents. Following Hahn’s bighearted example, many corporate partners, local businesses and entrepreneurs donate their time, creativity, products and services to the festivities.

A spirit of extreme fun awaits the lucky golfers who will turn out for this year’s fourth-annual celebration. From the moment they step onto the Fairbanks Ranch Country Club’s championship golf course, golfers will be transported back in time when Caddyshack, the 1980 cinema cult classic, burst onto the scene.

Hahn’s event blueprint features a four-person scramble vs. four-person scramble format, retro costume contest (masks included), and ultimate COVID-19 shootout for the grand prize Gopher Trophy. This year’s festival will be COVID-19 compliant, featuring contactless registration, scorekeeping and giveaways. Golfers will encounter socially-distant entertainment and specialty engagements, with participating food and beverage vendors, as they make their way around Fairbanks Ranch’s picturesque golf course. Two giant inflatable gophers and an oversized gopher mascot will preside over the festivities.

“CaddyHack draws inspiration from Ernie’s commitment to cultivating a local arts and culture scene that is fresh, dynamic and relevant,” said Boys to Men Mentoring Network Co-Founder Joe Sigurdson. “The Boys to Men community is grateful for Ernie’s visionary leadership. As a Boys to Men Ambassador, Ernie is always thinking of fun and creative opportunities to engage the community in Boys to Men’s mission.”

Armando Cepeda, producer of Encore Event Entertainment, a front line event sponsor, agreed. “CaddyHack is a reflection of Ernie’s gifts of creativity and collaboration, wonderful sense of fun, and his passion for making San Diego a brighter community. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of Ernie’s distinctly original, go-to summer golf classic?”

To register for the event and for other questions, contact Lauryn Herpin at lauryn@boystomen.org