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Friends golf in every state to raise money for cancer
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By Britt Yap, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 | No comments posted.
Craig Forney, left, and Bill Evans play a final round of golf on Tuesday at Kapolei Golf Course. The two men played 50 courses in 50 states in 50 days to to raise $1 million for cancer research. Associated Press Photo.
KAPOLEI, Hawaii — Nine-hundred holes, 2,000 golf balls, four bottles of sunscreen — Bill Evans and Craig Forney on Tuesday completed their grueling 50-day, cross-country golfing odyssey.
The buddies from Atlanta played 50 golf courses in 50 states in 50 days and ended the journey in the 50th state at the Kapolei Golf Course. Besides their memories, they were left with a souvenir.
“I have a farmer’s tan now,” Forney said.
Evans, 51, and Forney, 40, began their trek in Vermont on June 9. Joined by a support and film crew of five, they traveled by bus across 48 states, waking up early to tee off and ending each day with visits to cancer patients at local hospitals.
The pair said they’ve been wanting to do this for years but never had an opportunity to take 50 summer days off, until this summer.
The goal of their “50 in 50” adventure was to raise $1 million for cancer research — $20,000 in each state. They weren’t certain how much they raised.
“We didn’t have someone close to us with cancer before the trip, but now we do,” said Evans, an entrepreneur.
Forney, a golf pro, shot in the low 70s in many of his rounds. Evans’ best score was 73 and his worst was 90.
“I manage, operate and teach golf, but I don’t play on tour,” Forney said. “This is the closest I’ve come to that.”
The two also invited cancer patients and researchers to golf with them.
Halfway through their round of golf in Kapolei, Forney decided to try a local delicacy — Spam musubi, a slab of fried Spam on top of a small block of rice, tied together with dried seaweed.
“It’s really good,” he said.
In Wyoming, the two bought cowboy hats to wear for their round of golf. They played with the idea of wearing grass skirts while golfing in Hawaii, but decided that would be too difficult.
Since the start, the two have been video blogging each day on YouTube. Evans said they hope to put together a documentary or television series of their experience and donate the proceeds to their cancer awareness cause.
Aside from getting lost about once a day, they said the trip went rather smoothly. They spent six months planning for the trip.
“We really didn’t have any major surprises,” said Evans. “Luckily, we had great weather.”
According to the film crew, the team only encountered five days of rain, and one lightning storm in Virginia.
Traveling to Alaska and Hawaii proved to be their biggest obstacles. Evans nearly missed his connecting flight to Honolulu and had a difficult time getting the camera crew onto the Alaska flight.
The fast-paced schedule was exhausting, and they laugh when people call their journey a “vacation.”
“We wake up at five each morning, long bus rides, logistical issues, blogging everyday,” said Evans. “Trying to see as many cancer patients as possible. It’s been pretty arduous.”
It wasn’t exhaustion that was wearing on Forney. It was the lack of home-cooked meals.
“I’m so tired of eating junk food,” he said.
Evans was just excited that he didn’t have to live on a bus anymore.
They pair lived by a motto to keep them inspired: “Cancer victims never get to take a day off, so neither do we.”
Forney flew back to Atlanta after his last round of golf, while Evans stayed in Honolulu for the night. The two have already begun planning another trip for 2009.
“I challenge anybody to play golf for 50 days straight,” Evans said. “It’s like being on tour, especially when you’ve had only four hours of sleep. I would like to take a vacation after this.”
——
On the Net:
Golf adventure site: http://www.the50in50.com.
The buddies from Atlanta played 50 golf courses in 50 states in 50 days and ended the journey in the 50th state at the Kapolei Golf Course. Besides their memories, they were left with a souvenir.
“I have a farmer’s tan now,” Forney said.
Evans, 51, and Forney, 40, began their trek in Vermont on June 9. Joined by a support and film crew of five, they traveled by bus across 48 states, waking up early to tee off and ending each day with visits to cancer patients at local hospitals.
The pair said they’ve been wanting to do this for years but never had an opportunity to take 50 summer days off, until this summer.
The goal of their “50 in 50” adventure was to raise $1 million for cancer research — $20,000 in each state. They weren’t certain how much they raised.
“We didn’t have someone close to us with cancer before the trip, but now we do,” said Evans, an entrepreneur.
Forney, a golf pro, shot in the low 70s in many of his rounds. Evans’ best score was 73 and his worst was 90.
“I manage, operate and teach golf, but I don’t play on tour,” Forney said. “This is the closest I’ve come to that.”
The two also invited cancer patients and researchers to golf with them.
Halfway through their round of golf in Kapolei, Forney decided to try a local delicacy — Spam musubi, a slab of fried Spam on top of a small block of rice, tied together with dried seaweed.
“It’s really good,” he said.
In Wyoming, the two bought cowboy hats to wear for their round of golf. They played with the idea of wearing grass skirts while golfing in Hawaii, but decided that would be too difficult.
Since the start, the two have been video blogging each day on YouTube. Evans said they hope to put together a documentary or television series of their experience and donate the proceeds to their cancer awareness cause.
Aside from getting lost about once a day, they said the trip went rather smoothly. They spent six months planning for the trip.
“We really didn’t have any major surprises,” said Evans. “Luckily, we had great weather.”
According to the film crew, the team only encountered five days of rain, and one lightning storm in Virginia.
Traveling to Alaska and Hawaii proved to be their biggest obstacles. Evans nearly missed his connecting flight to Honolulu and had a difficult time getting the camera crew onto the Alaska flight.
The fast-paced schedule was exhausting, and they laugh when people call their journey a “vacation.”
“We wake up at five each morning, long bus rides, logistical issues, blogging everyday,” said Evans. “Trying to see as many cancer patients as possible. It’s been pretty arduous.”
It wasn’t exhaustion that was wearing on Forney. It was the lack of home-cooked meals.
“I’m so tired of eating junk food,” he said.
Evans was just excited that he didn’t have to live on a bus anymore.
They pair lived by a motto to keep them inspired: “Cancer victims never get to take a day off, so neither do we.”
Forney flew back to Atlanta after his last round of golf, while Evans stayed in Honolulu for the night. The two have already begun planning another trip for 2009.
“I challenge anybody to play golf for 50 days straight,” Evans said. “It’s like being on tour, especially when you’ve had only four hours of sleep. I would like to take a vacation after this.”
——
On the Net:
Golf adventure site: http://www.the50in50.com.
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