"The AZ Insider" with Kathy Shayna Shocket: Get the inside scoop on Arizona's social scene and celebrity news.
This week: The scoop on a golf tournament with some celebrity birds!
Saturday’s golf tournament at Stonecreek Golf Club is going to be delightfully wild! Yes, golfers at the Sept. 25 event will have the chance to hit the links with some celebrated Eagles. No, not the American rock band which had chart topping hits in the 1970’s. I’m referring to the birds of prey- the symbols of our nation. I’m referring to the symbols of freedom that are now protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. That’s why this golf tournament is much more than a day of hitting the links. It’s a fundraiser for Liberty Wildlife, the wonderful non-profit organization dedicated to rehabilitating injured native Arizona animals.
Dr. Chris McDaniel
And a group of its rescued and rehabilitated ambassadors will join golfers and their guests. “Birdie Fore Birds,” sponsored by Caddie Fore the Hole, may be the only golf tournament at which these amazing birds will greet you as you pick up your birdies. Or it may be the only golf tournament where you can experience a wild close encounter on the 10th hole where the rehabilitated eagles and hawks will watch your birdies fly! Perhaps someone will get a hole in one. The prize for a hole in one during the tournament is a pair of tickets to the U.S. Open.
Perhaps the most unique and emotionally rewarding part of the day will be at the awards luncheon. Two lucky golfers will be selected to release a pair of rescued birds of prey into the wild. Your heart will soar!
Richard Hayslip
Hearts soared at last year’s tournament when Dr. Chris McDaniel of McDaniel Family Chiropractic and Richard Hayslip of Salt River Project released a pair of young Harris Hawks back into the wild. The wonderful volunteer Terry Stevens, director of operations of Liberty Wildlife, took all of these photos at last year’s tournament.
If you want to experience the release but don’t play golf, tickets are available for just the awards luncheon for $35 per person.
Dr. Chris McDaniel and Richard Hayslip
The registration fee for the 18-hole golf tournament, breakfast and luncheon is $125 per golfer.
“We have fantastic tee bags,” says Liberty Wildlife’s Melissa Hughes. The tee bags include a Cutter & Buck golf shirt (which was designed especially for the event with the Liberty Wildlife and SRP logos), plenty of gift certificates (including a $10 certificate for Golfsmith), a sleeve of balls and much more.
Prizes wil be given for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, most honest, closest to pin, Putting and Longest Drive Contests. So many games!
By the way, this golf tournament couldn’t happen without its dedicated supporters, sponsors and volunteers. It’s impressive that Liberty Wildlife, which provides environmental education including its programs in the schools with non-releasable wildlife, has about 350 very dedicated volunteers. And it’s exciting that plans for a new state-of-the-art home are underway. The new facility boasts a wildlife hospital, amphitheatre, education and rehabilitation complex, and will ultimately allow them to be open to the public.
If you’re interested in finding out if you can still book a foursome for the Sept. 25 event, you can call Liberty Wildlife at 480.998.0230.
Kathy Shayna Shocket is a Phoenix based writer. If you have a good item for The AZ Insider, you can email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
