The history …

Turkey Bird Classic

Is a golf tournament that was formed in 1982 by my father, Dick Walsh. At the time, the foursomes were composed of family friends and business associates.  It took place in our backyard and it was a tradition for my father to prepare delicious ribs on the grill. As children, we were tasked with set up and tear down, but we also got to participate as well. It was something that my brothers and sisters looked forward to being a part of every year. 

The tournament logo was chosen from the Walsh family coat of arms back in Ireland. It features a turkey impaled by an arrow and represents strength. Over the last 25 years, the tournament grew to over 100 golfers and relocated to the Carriage Greens Country Club. What remained a constant from year to year was the sense of camaraderie and celebration. 

In 2005, the tradition came to an end when my father closed his business. In 2015, my brothers and I decided to reestablish our father’s favorite pastime, arranging three foursomes on a public course in California. We decided to name it the Turkey Bird Classic, and to impale the turkey with a golf club instead. Our hope was to maintain the intimacy of the event while adding an element of community outreach. As part of this community effort, we have partnered with Corporate Angel Network (CAN), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit who coordinates free flights for cancer patients on private aircraft, which our father would have endorsed.