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

By Ian Oland

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September 14, 2023 10:23 am

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

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

Once anyone experiences a Laughlin event for the first time, it’s difficult to not return in future years. I’ll do my best to explain why.

For starters, there are always surprises. A year after Braden Holtby made an appearance, Capitals forward TJ Oshie amazed guests when they checked in early in the morning.

Oshie, a golf fanatic, wanted to play, but ultimately had too busy of a schedule, which included coaching his girls’ softball team in the afternoon. So Oshie contributed an auction item where he’d golf with a group in the future. The gesture raised nearly a five figure donation before the event even started. Oshie also signed autographs and took photos with practically everyone, including one of his bigger fans — NASCAR driver and fellow celebrity sports guest Ryan Ellis.

Photo: Ian Oland/RMNB

Both athletes had long journeys 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 a span of two days from his home in Charlotte, NC to join the festivities. Meanwhile, Oshie woke up at the crack of dawn and drove nearly three hours round trip just to shake hands for an hour or two.

Nearly everyone who talked to Oshie noted his optimism for the upcoming season. He’s had a full summer to train for the first time in 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 its first public event. (I may or may not have had a long conversation with Carbery about zone entries and told Muller he was a favorite target of mine to check in my NES video games as a kid. “Can we call it a truce now?” he asked smiling. Yes.) It also reunited the two biggest Capitals stars of yesteryear, Peter Bondra (503 career goals) and Olie Kolzig (2000 Vezina Trophy).

The event officially started at 10 am with all the celebrity sports guests — also including Joe Beninati, Alan May, Brent Johnson, Karl Alzner, Ken Sabourin, John Walton, Chris Miller, Alexa Landestoy, and Tarik El-Bashir — getting an NHL quality introduction by Capitals PA announcer Wes Johnson.

Photo: Ashley Estill

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

As I caught up with McDonald 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 for him to sing the anthem because Caleb Green said no.” We all burst out laughing.

The chirps on the golf course were as toasty as the drinks provided on the house by Pherm Brewing. Vida Taco Bar and Frederick County’s own GlamourView Creamery provided food and ice cream. There were 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 at the putting green where Beninati was hosting a Beat the Joe chipping contest. Whoever defeated the play-by-play announcer by chipping the ball closer to the pin than him were entered into a raffle to win a signed wedge from Beninati later that night.

Joe B, a golf fanatic, chipped hundreds of balls in the hot, humid sun, resoundingly defeating nearly all of his challengers. He may seem nice on-air, but the guy has a competitive streak like Michael Jordan and the verbal zingers of a Steven Oleksy. I personally witnessed only two winners: Peter Bondra and Karl Alzner.

(Bob McDonald also really, really wanted me to mention he beat Joe B, too, which goes to show you what a crowning achievement it was.)

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

I made sure to do a jaunt around the golf course on a golf cart. Though I had to do so in a cart that was not assigned to me because Craig Laughlin is a thief! “It had free drinks so I thought it was mine,” he insufficiently explained later.

I’m not sure what good golf etiquette is, especially while driving a golf cart, but I stopped somewhat abruptly when I noticed a group of guys about to swing from the fairway. I watched in amazement as Dave Mummert holed out from the fairway 64 yards away to eagle the par 4 15th hole.

They seemed very happy I was there then. “Now someone will believe us when we put this on our scorecard.”

Mummert’s incredible shot helped push the foursome of Matt McDougal, Mike Viscardi, and Mark Villee to a third straight tournament victory, earning the prestigious Sunoco Cup.

The golfing eventually gave way to mingling inside the Crofton Country Club’s banquet hall where there was a buffet dinner and live and silent auctions. There were signed bobbleheads, jerseys, and Backe apples. Memorable live auction experiences included wine tastings and cruises around the Chesapeake Bay with Joe B and Locker. Kolzig and May combined to win one of two wine experiences at Joe B’s house. The most epic item was a frame featuring both an Alex Ovechkin and Wayne Gretzky signed jersey.

The bidding was the opposite of reserved and restrained as over $100k flew into the foundation’s account. It seemed like practically
everyone left with something cool.

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

Photo: Courtney Laughlin

Toward the end of the night, I made my way to the back bar where I caught up with Kolzig, who recently was a 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 ridiculous wine commercial in 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 finally making it. And when he did, he was legendary. He became one of the best goaltenders in the league, leading the Capitals to its first Stanley Cup Final berth. Olie was a fiery guy who played with his heart on his sleeve. He was about as open and honest as one could be with the media off-the-ice, too. He was easy to root for because he didn’t obfuscate who he was.

His sense of community and trying to better the lives of others was best exemplified by how he dedicated a big chunk of his time raising awareness for autism due to his son Carson. In a lot of ways, he taught Young Me how to be a leader from afar. I was grateful for the time he shared with me.

My night ended when I took a photo with my sandpaper-y frenemy Alan May, who pulled on my ear and tried to prevent me from taking photos with Kolzig. So we’re already 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 around 175 people for dinner that day. They also had over 25 corporate sponsors and partners. It was their biggest event to date.

The philanthropy work that the Laughlins are doing – just a few short years into the foundation’s existence — is not only notable, but incredible, too.

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 obliterate rare gynecologic cancers through the connections they’ve built in the area over nearly the entire existence of the Capitals.

This is what I think I figured out. A Laughlin party is legendary because of the love the family has for itself and the Capitals community. It comes out in Courtney’s dogged planning and relationship building – the countless hours she dedicates to make sure literally everyone has fun. When a short downpour paused play late in the afternoon, she turned to me and asked, “Do you think this is going to ruin someone’s experience?” I quickly replied, “Oh gosh, absolutely not.” It comes out at what I nicknamed the “mission control table” inside, where Linda and a dozen volunteers dedicated their day before and their Monday to getting every detail right. It comes out in Kyle’s kindness – a new father who came over to talk to me at the banquet even as his daughter was falling asleep in his arms. And it comes out in Craig, who has the energy of a thousand suns when he’s surrounded by people who share in his love for the team.

When someone comes to a Craig Laughlin event, they are treated like a part of his extended family. It builds connections that extend beyond hockey, creating nights that you never forget.

And it’s why I’m already looking forward to next year.

Headline photo: Ashley Estill

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