What began a casual conversation over a meal at SoCal Cantina in Tuscaloosa turned into a landmark Interfraternity Council (IFC) fundraising success. The inaugural IFC Golf Tournament, held August 18, 2025, at the Dells Golf Club, brought together hundreds of fraternity members for a day of friendly competition and a shared mission to give back.
“I think from the beginning, this is something that we’d always wanted to do,” said Jack Hastings, IFC Executive Vice President. “We knew we’d bring a lot of the community out there, but we never knew what we’d give the money to, how we would start it, or where we would start it at.”
A few weeks later, Hastings, along with Bennett Katz, IFC Vice President of Judicial Affairs, met with Mary Jane Moore, the director of development for Student Life, who introduced them to the idea of establishing an endowed scholarship.
“This is something that had been talked about for multiple years,” Hastings said. “Fraternity guys love golf, you know, why don’t we do a golf tournament? So, we were finally able to do that, and it turned out great.”
The tournament included 25 teams in a four-man scramble format, with each fraternity selecting its best golfers. Some teams even practiced beforehand, and several featured players with experience.
“There was a big incentive for the chapters if they won as well,” said Hastings. “There was money going to their social budget, and it’s right before school starts. It’s a lot of fun. No one has class. You can all get out there. It was kind of a good way to bring not just the teams out there, but also pretty much their entire chapter.”
Beyond the competition, the event’s purpose carried deep meaning for the IFC executive team. The tournament raised around $60,650, all going toward the IFC Endowed Scholarship, which will support fraternity members who demonstrate leadership, service, and financial need.
“We want to help somebody out that is a good member of a fraternity but may not be able to afford some of that. It provides some assistance, and we want to continue to be able to grow that each year too,” said Katz.
The effort behind the scenes was equally impressive. Hastings and Katz spent months organizing logistics, securing sponsors and rallying their peers. It not only helped their work as an executive team grow stronger, but also their friendships.
“These nine other guys are probably my closest friends now,” said Hastings. “Bennett in particular, him and I were calling each other every single day for two or three months about the golf tournament. There was probably seven of us living in my place at once, working all day and all night on the golf tournament.”
Katz agreed, adding that the project created a sense of lasting purpose for their group.
“For us to be able to accomplish something that not many other councils have been able to do, but also to be able to contribute to a legacy of continuing to benefit future fraternity students down the road was something I think was really special,” he said.
As the council looks ahead, Hastings and Katz hope the IFC Golf Tournament will continue as a lasting tradition that celebrates brotherhood and a way to invest in the success of future fraternity members at The University of Alabama.