Golf Classic is another winning day for the Blue Jackets Foundation

History was in the air as the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation staged its annual Golf Classic in early September.

This season, the Blue Jackets are preparing to celebrate not just 25 years of NHL hockey but also a quarter century of making an impact in the community through the Blue Jackets Foundation.

The Foundation has granted more than $15 million to local initiatives and nonprofits since its inception in the year 2000, and it wouldn’t be possible without events like the annual visit to Double Eagle Golf Club.

“This is always an incredible day because it brings together the players and the coaches with the supporters of our Foundation,” said Cathy Lyttle, the Foundation’s board chair. “Not only do they play golf and have a great time, but this is one of our largest fundraisers, and it allows the Foundation to fund their grants and make an impact in the community.”

Over a quarter century, the Foundation has accomplished founder John H. McConnell’s vision of supporting the Central Ohio community through its pillars of fighting pediatric cancer, youth health and wellness initiatives, education through literacy and youth hockey.

In 2024-25 alone, more than 100,000 youth were impacted by CBJ-funded programs, and the Blue Jackets Foundation again was able to deliver more than $1 million in grants to charities in Central Ohio.

As Lyttle said, the Golf Classic is one of the Foundation’s largest fundraisers of the year to help make that impact possible. While Sept. 5 was a day for fun, camaraderie and an unparalleled golf experience featuring CBJ celebrities ahead of the Jackets’ milestone season, the most important number was $300,000 – the final amount raised for the Foundation to continue investing in youth and families in our community.

“The best part about today is raising money for the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation,” said Rick Nash, the Blue Jackets legend who is now the team’s director of hockey operations. “And then from there, the Foundation does so many good things with that money around the Greater Columbus area.

“It’s not all about the golf and about winning the tournament; it’s more about raising money for the great charities around Columbus.”

But, as Nash noted, his favorite experience in more than two decades of taking part in the tournament came in the year his squad emerged victorious.

“It’s always nice to win,” Nash said, leaving no doubt in his tone of voice that he meant what he said.

Hockey players and coaches are competitive by nature no matter what the activity, so each of the CBJ representatives arrived at Double Eagle hoping to see their name added to the trophy at the end of the round.

On this day, that honor went to the director of player personnel Chris Clark, CBJ wing Yegor Chinakhov and their group from team partner OhioHealth, though captain Boone Jenner said that likely wouldn’t end any locker room ribbing between the Blue Jackets players.

“We don’t have eyes on each other, so there’s always a lot of bickering,” Jenner said. “Especially whoever wins, the number they come in at, there’s a lot of controversy about that. But we have fun with it. There are some challenges out there just for (the players) like longest drive and closest to the pin, so hopefully we’ll see who’s the best in those at least.”

The golf program matched 24 foursomes featuring Blue Jackets fans and team partners with a CBJ player, coach, alum or celebrity, with each group having the ability to bid on their representative at a pre-event draft presented by Nationwide. The opening program also featured remarks from Lyttle highlighting the history of the Foundation’s philanthropy as well as alternate governor John H. McConnell II, who participated in the golf classic with his father, majority owner John P. McConnell.

A post-round cocktail hour presented by G&J Pepsi celebrated the day’s top players, and a silent auction featured items ranging from signed Blue Jackets items to exclusive team experiences to historic sports memorabilia. Golfers received a gift bag featuring player-signed bottles from Tito’s Handmade Vodka and were treated to an on-course cookout while enjoying the day with their CBJ celebrity.

David Brinkman, a partner and senior wealth manager at Schneider Downs, was paired with CBJ president of hockey operations Don Waddell during his first time at the event. To Brinkman, the day was a win-win, as he had the chance to get to know the leader of the Blue Jackets front office as well as support such an important cause.

“One of our core values as a firm is paying it back in the communities that we work and live in, and this is a perfect match,” Brinkman said. “When we thought of the partnership with the Blue Jackets, it’s about being visible in the community and benefitting kids in the community.”

While Jenner wasn’t able to leave with his name on the trophy, the CBJ captain said the day was most about coming together and giving back.

“It really feels like when you’re part of the Blue Jackets, you’re part of the community, and vice versa,” Jenner said. “It’s such a cool feeling, and that’s why we enjoy these events so much. For us, it’s a fun day and the least we can do to help this cause that goes so far in our community.”

Other partners for the Golf Classic included Idegy (golf cart sponsor), Bartha (practice facility), Performance Columbus (hole-in-one contest) and Telhio (player putt) as well as hole sponsors ADS, Scotts, Limitless Limo, Magnetic Springs and the Central Midwest Council of Carpenters.