Tee Off With The Tiants At The El Tiante/NaviNet Celebrity Golf Classic

Some how, the thought of puffing on a Cuban, while putting on hole 18, with one of my boyhood heroes, Luis Tiant, seems like it may fall under the heading of "Pinch me, I think I'm dreaming."

Then sprinkle in a few other Boston legends, including Bill Lee, Jim Rice and Big Papi, while shooting a round on New England's Premier Golf Course, and we're talking an 'out of body experience.'

Well, On September 14th at the TPC-Boston, you can tee off with El Tiante and friends at the Inaugural El Tiante/NaviNet Celebrity Golf Classic with all proceeds going to the Luis Tiant Charitable Foundation.

I joked with Luis Tiant Jr, the son of the Red Sox most beloved Cuban pitcher, and the driving force behind the Foundation when we talked about the upcoming event.

Somehow, I envisioned The Senior Tiante, teeing up on hole number one, twisting and gyrating with his head cocked sky-ward, much like he did when he took the mound at Fenway in the mid seventies.

"As the crowd looks on", I quipped, "El Tiante takes a puff of his Cuban, comes to the belt, and slowly jiggles his hands down his belly as he putts for birdie on hole 18."

"Not so" explained the younger Tiant, who has also been busy promoting his father's recent film, The Lost Son of Havana. "Actually Dad is a really good golfer. At almost 69, he can still drive the ball 300 + yards."

After eating a slice of humble pie since my best drive doesn't quite rival that distance, I asked Luis Jr about the event.

"We expect to have David Ortiz, Jim Rice, Doug Flutie, Jeff Juden, John Valentin, Bill Lee, Jim Lonborg, Bob Montgomery, Sam McDowell, Jamie Kaler (TBS-My Boys) and many more guests, explained Luis, Jr. "We hope to have one celebrity as a part of each foursome."

"We will also have Live and a Silent Auction. We are very excited about this wonderful event and are thrilled to have NaviNet as our primary sponsor.

All proceeds from the event will be going to the Luis Tiant Charitable Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) organization.

The event will begin at 11:00 AM with a shotgun start and will include a boxed lunch, use of carts and a reception dinner following the event.

What better way to close a business deal, reward your valued employees, promote your business or corporation, or simply shoot a round with El Tiante and some of Boston's biggest sports legends during this outstanding day of golf.

For those who are not golfer's but still hope to participate in the event there are many sponsorship opportunities. All donations are tax deductible.

For more information on the event or to become a sponsor, contact Luis at (508) 259-8216 or at luistiantjr@charter.net.

Sponsorship opportunities are as follows:

GOLD SPONSOR-- $25,000.00

• Three Foursomes -- Nine Golfers Plus three Celebrity Golfers
• Company or Product Name included in Television, Radio, Print Media Advertising, and Press Releases acknowledging
• Company as the Title Sponsor
• Company name and logo included on Cover and inside of Tournament Program Book
• Company name & logo featured as Title Sponsor on a large Tournament Banner prominently displayed on the Clubhouse deck facing Golf Course, and in the Clubhouse throughout the entire day of event
• Company name and logo printed on the Official Golf Tournament Shirt and Hat
• Opportunity to include promotional materials in all golfer “Goody Bags”
• Reserved Seating for Golf Awards Dinner

SILVER SPONSOR -- $15,000.00

• Two Foursomes -- Six Golfers Plus two Celebrity Golfers
• Company or Product Name included in Television, Radio, Print Media Advertising, and Press Releases acknowledging
• Company as Silver Sponsor.
• Company name and logo included on inside of Tournament Program.
• Company name & logo featured as Silver Sponsor on a large Tournament Banner prominently displayed in the
• Clubhouse throughout the entire day of event, and both a Green and Tee marker at a hole and Green of your choice.
• Opportunity to include promotional materials in all golfer “Goody Bags”
• Reserved Seating for Golf Awards Dinner

BRONZE SPONSOR -- $10,000.00

• One Foursome -- Three Golfers Plus one Celebrity Golfer
• Company or Product Name included in Television, Radio, Print Media Advertising, and Press Releases acknowledging
• Company as Bronze Sponsor.
• Company name and logo included on inside of Tournament Program Book.
• Company name & logo featured as Bronze Sponsor on a large Tournament Banner prominently displayed in the Clubhouse throughout the entire day of event, and both a Green and Tee marker at a hole and Green of your choice.
• Opportunity to include promotional materials in all golfer “Goody Bags”
• Reserved Seating for Golf Awards Dinner

GOLF CART SPONSOR -- $7,500.00

• One Foursome -- Three Golfers Plus one Celebrity Golfer
• Company name and logo displayed on all Golf Carts.
• Company name and logo displayed on banner at Reception.
• Company name and logo included on inside of Tournament Program.

DINNER SPONSOR -- $5,000.00

• One Foursome -- Three Golfers Plus One Celebrity Golfer
• Company will receive verbal and written recognition throughout Tournament Reception and Award Ceremony. Company name and logo will be displayed on all dining tables and at all Function Hall serving stations.
• Company name and logo included on inside of Tournament Program.

PROGRAM BOOK SPONSOR -- $3,500.00

• Company name and logo will appear on cover of Program Book.
• Company will receive verbal and written recognition throughout Tournament Reception and Award Ceremony.

Box Lunch Sponsor -- $2,500.00

• Company will receive verbal and written recognition as lunch sponsor throughout Tournament.
  
• Company name and logo will appear inside Program Book.

CELEBRITY FOURSOME -- $2,500.00

• One Foursome -- Three Golfers Plus One Celebrity Golfer
• Company name and logo displayed on a Green and Tee marker.

GOODY BAG SPONSOR -- $2,000.00

• Company name and logo will appear on front of each “Goody Bag” given out to each tournament participant.
• Company will receive verbal and written recognition throughout Tournament Reception and Award Ceremony.
• Company name and logo will appear inside Program Book.

HOLE-IN-ONE SPONSOR – - ( Automobile ) - Lynn/Waugh Group

• Company name and logo will appear inside Program Book.
• Company will receive verbal and written recognition throughout Tournament Reception and Award Ceremony. Company name and logo will be displayed on banner at selected contest hole.

BEVERAGE CART SPONSOR -- $1,500.00

• Company name and logo displayed on all Tournament beverage carts.
• Company will receive verbal and written recognition throughout Tournament Reception and Award Ceremony.
• Company name and logo included on inside of Tournament Program.

TROPHY/AWARDS SPONSOR -- $1,000.00

• Company will receive verbal and written recognition throughout Tournament Reception and logo banner will be displayed at Award Ceremony.
• Company name and logo included on inside of Tournament Program.

TEE/GREEN SPONSOR -- $500.00

• Company name or logo, business promotion, or name honoring a loved one will be displayed on a Green or Tee sign.
  
• Company name and logo included on inside Tournament Program Book.

The Luis Tiant Charitable Foundation

The Luis Tiant Charitable Foundation has been created to streamline the ways in which Luis Tiant (El Tiante) gives of his time to assist several Charitable Organizations through fund-raising events.

The foundation will provide assistance to several children’s charities, youth programs, Catholic Church programs, and family assistance programs. The Luis Tiant Charitable Foundation will provide various opportunities for Corporations, Business Entities, and Foundations to be a positive influence in Children’s lives, assist in developing and maintaining a variety of programs within our Communities, and also give hope to Families in need of assistance.

NaviNet
NaviNet is America's largest real-time healthcare communications network. The company was founded in founded in 1998 on the basis that America’s healthcare industry can be made more inclusive, transparent and cost-effective by connecting providers, health plans and industry partners in real-time.

NaviNet is deeply committed and singularly focused on this vision and has worked for more than a decade to make this powerful concept a reality. Today, NaviNet is America’s largest real-time healthcare communications network. We securely link over 750,000 providers—as well as our nation’s leading plans and valued industry partners—through a single Web site.

The TPC-Boston
The TPC-Boston was originally designed by legendary player/designer Arnold Palmer and is considered to be one of the area's premiere golf courses. "Our design and reverence for nature are the hallmarks of truly great golf courses, and TPC Boston’s championship layout is no exception." Star-Rating Guide

TPC Boston’s award-winning layout was re-designed in 2007 by celebrated golf course architect Gil Hanse, with PGA TOUR player Brad Faxon serving as a consultant. The result is a compelling par-72, 7,241-yard masterpiece named by Golf Digest the “Best Private Remodel of 2007.”

Crafted to fit seamlessly into the natural New England landscape, lush fairways and Bentgrass greens traverse gently rolling hills, with stands of mature trees, chocolate-drop mounds, numerous wetland areas, fescues and native grasses, and 92 deep bunkers creating a stunning backdrop for this superb test of golf in Norton’s Great Woods.

While challenging enough for the best players in the world during the DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIP, five sets of tees on each hole make the course enjoyable for golfers of all skill levels.

TPC–Boston is located at 400 Arnold Palmer Blvd. in Norton, MA. 02766.

Todd Civin is a freelance writer for the Bleacher Report and Seamheads and a supporter of the children's story, A Glove of Their Own. To purchase your copy of the award winning book that teaches paying it forward through baseball visit the site and purchase under donor code LTF223 Luis Tiant Charitable Foundation. $3.00 from each sale will go to Luis and his foundation.