FEATURE STORY

Texas Children's
Hospital benefits
from ugly fashion
at Bad Pants Open

By William K. Wolfrum,
Staff Writer

(Jan. 10, 2006) -- It was an idea that's time had come. Get golfers together to enjoy a tournament with proceeds donated to a children's hospital. Okay, that part had been done. The new part happened eight years ago, when a group of Houston businessmen got together and came up with the idea of having the charitable golfers hack it up while adorned in their most terrible trousers.

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Hence, the Bad Pants Open was born.

Held annually at BlackHorse Golf Club in the Houston suburb of Cypress, Texas, the Bad Pants Open has been a fantastic avenue for bad pants fetishists to don their silliest slacks. A bit more important than that, however, is the more than $500,000, the tournament has gathered over the years for the Texas Children's Hospital’s Newborn Center.

"This year they presented a check to the newborn center for $145,000," said Eileen Condit, a Texas Children's Hospital Senior Development Associate.

The 2005 Bad Pants Open was held in November and despite some rain, the poorly clad golfers managed to get in their 18 holes.

"What they do is give prizes for best dressed - or worst dressed golfer, however you want to call it," said BlackHorse course Head Professional Russell Roten. "There was definitely some unique outfits out there this year."

After eight years of holding the event, a following is growing, with scores of local players joining players from around the country to get in on the action.

"They almost had 280 players this year, plus they get a lot of sponsorships from local business," said Roten. "I know it's really turned into a big charitable event for them."

Condit said it continually grows every year.

"And they go above and beyond what they aiming for," she added. "The whole thing has a great spirit to it."

Aside from the normal array of exceptionally bad pants on display at the 2005 Bad pants Open, participants were treated to a long-drive exhibition by Dan Boever and an auction following the event, which was announced by Houston Astros' announcer Mike Hamilton.

The Texas Children's Newborn Center treats more than 2,500 critically ill newborns per year, making it the busiest and largest neonatal intensive care unit in the nation.

The Texas Children's Hospital has several other golf tournaments that help raise money for different units, including the Hobby Classic Golf Tournament at Timber Creek Golf Club in Friendswood that benefits renal dialysis. The hospital also gets valuable exposure and donations via its "Night with a Texas Legend" series, which will start off 2006 with charity dinners with Lance Armstrong in January and Roger Clemens in February.

Specializing in care to low birth-weight babies, the Texas Children’s Newborn Center has an 86 percent survival rate with infants less than 1,500 grams (3.3 pounds), with many of the infants weighing less than 1,000 grams (2.2 pounds).

Fast fact

There are other "Bad Pants Opens" throughout the U.S., including one in Illinois that held its ninth annual event in August, with proceeds going to disabled veterans.

For more information

Bad Pants Open
BlackHorse Golf Club
12205 Fry Road
Cypress, TX 77433
Phone: (281) 304-1747

Texas Children's Hospital
6621 Fannin Street
Houston, TX 77030
Phone: (832) 824-1000

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.