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Michigan PGA Members, Detroit Red Wings Alum Faceoff in Charity Hockey Game to Raise $60,000
By Adam Stanley
Published on
Players, coaches and representatives from the Michigan PGA and Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association pose for a post-game photo at BELFOR Training Center in Detroit.
Darren McCarty was long known as an enforcer-type on the ice. Every team that went deep into the NHL playoffs needed a bruiser to help go to the dirty areas and mix it up with the opposing team who might be getting too close to its stars.
McCarty played that role with the Detroit Red Wings and it led to him being part of four Stanley Cup-winning teams (1997-98, 2002, '08) during a memorable run for the team.
And now, at 50, he’s discovered what plenty of other former professional athletes have too – a love of golf.
On Feb. 19, McCarty was part of a charity hockey game between Detroit Red Wings alums and Michigan PGA Section Professionals, which raised $60,000 for various charities. But after becoming friends with PGA Member Ian Ziska, he couldn’t resist dropping the gloves one last time.
McCarty and Ziska, who was named the 2023 PGA Merchandiser of the Year for Public Facilities for his work at American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Michigan, became fast friends after playing a charity golf tournament together and Ziska befriended McCarty’s manager, who he talked to about trying to “have a little fun” before the puck dropped.
Denny McCarty and Ian Ziska, PGA, enter into a friendly tussle before the charity game on Feb. 19.
“He had the idea of going from dropping the gloves to hugging it out for a ‘golf lesson’ before the puck dropped to start the game,” said Ziska with a laugh. “It was perfect.”
‘Perfect’ is just about the best way to describe the weekend’s event between the 27 golfers on skates and member of the Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association (DRWAA). The Michigan PGA team scored the first goal of the game and held strong with a 4-3 lead after the first period before eventually falling to the Wings’ alums 10-5.
George Bowman, the PGA Head Professional at Oakhurst Golf & Country Club in Michigan and secretary of the DRWAA, was the man at the center of the event. McCarty, Dino Ciccarelli, Larry Murphy, John Ogrodnick, Ed Mio, and Mickey Redmond were amongst the Red Wings stars who suited up, while several members of the Michigan PGA squad have collegiate, club, and even pro hockey experience.
Current Michigan PGA President Dean Kolstad, a former NHL hockey player and Red Wing, led the partnership effort for the game. Kolstad is the PGA Director of Golf at Gull Lake View Golf Club & Resort near Kalamazoo.
The event took place at the BELFOR Training Center in Detroit, the practice facility of the Red Wings.
“Two of my staff members both (played) on the Michigan PGA team and they were really excited about it," said PGA President John Lindert who served as the squad's coach alongside Michigan PGA Executive Director Kevin Helm and Doug Bell, the PGA General Manager at American Dunes.
"For them, just thinking about the uniqueness of playing against their childhood idols and having those players on the ice . . . how often would they get to do that? A wonderful opportunity."
While the game was lighthearted and entertaining, the participants were all able to do some serious good – raising money for a collection of charities dedicated to American armed-service veterans. The Michigan PGA and Red Wing alumni collaborated to present $15,000 to PGA HOPE, $15,000 to the Yellow Ribbon Fund and $30,000 to Folds of Honor.
The Michigan PGA team helped raise $15,000 for PGA HOPE programming through the charity hockey game.
Lindert, who will celebrate his 40th anniversary as a PGA Member in May, said his own hockey experience is limited to watching the United States’ Miracle on Ice victory in the 1980 Olympics, but he's long known and seen the unique kinship between golfers and hockey players.
The PGA of America, Lindert pointed out, has its PGA Coach online platform follow the American Development Model – the first real adaptors were from hockey.
“The way they blend activities together in the winter and summer is why so many hockey players are great golfers because of the skillset utilized,” said Lindert. “Other PGA Sections do utilize hockey and hockey games to do fundraising but a lot of golfers in Michigan played hockey growing up. We’re just that kind of state – that’s what you did growing up.”
Alec Grant, PGA, scores on a net rush during the charity game at BELFOR Trainer Center.
It was a fun weekend for the participants and fans, while the Michigan PGA was able to raise tens of thousands of dollars for American Veterans, too.
“Our end goal was to do something really cool and different to showcase the athletes we had in our Section outside of golf and do it with an outstanding group of people,” said Ziska. “It was amazing to put this thing together in a hurry and deliver $60,000 to military charities.”
