Ben's Buddies

The Final Ben's Buddies Event

Saturday, August 29, 2026 @ Majestic Oaks Golf Club

1:00 PM Golf shotgun start
5:30 PM Social time, Dinner, Birthday Bash, and Final Program

That's right, we are bringing back the Birthday Bash for our final event!

Why We Do This

In memory of Benjamin Walker Hanson, a group of family and friends came together twenty years ago with a simple idea: raise money, honor a life, and help other families who know this kind of loss. What followed were two beloved traditions. The Golf Tournament ran for twenty consecutive years — tee shots, scrambles, prizes, and the kind of camaraderie that only comes from showing up year after year for something that matters. The Birthday Bash brought its own spirit — a celebration of Ben's life that gathered his community around food, laughter, and memory.

This August, we bring both back together one final time as we are celebrate 20 years of Ben's Buddies. The golf tournament closes out its twentieth year. The Birthday Bash returns for a proper farewell. We're closing on our own terms — grateful, proud, and ready to celebrate everything this community has built together.

We hope you'll join us.

Birthday Bash Registration ONLY ($40)

Foursome with Hole Sponsorship ($650)

Hole Sponsorship ($200)

Golfer Registration $125 includes green fees, cart & Birthday Bash buffet after the round. Prizes for top 3 teams and contest winners. Mulligans can be purchased and there will be a split the pot raffle as well.

Birthday Bash only Registration is $40 for buffet dinner

Hole sponsorship is $200 - include language you want for the sign

Hole sponsorship with Foursome is $650 - include language you want for the sign and golfer names

Contest sponsorship with Foursome is $750 - include language you want for the sign and golfer names

Use the Donate button to donate directly to Ben's Buddies

If you prefer, donate directly to Ben's fund at the University of Minnesota

All donations are tax deductible.

In 2022 we were proud to be a sponsor of the Reach Out and Read program at the M Health Masonic Children's Hospital. Check it out at Reach Out and Read.

Twenty Years of Impact

Since 2006, Ben's Buddies has:

Raised funds for neonatal research and education through the University of Minnesota Foundation through twenty consecutive golf tournaments
Supported the Benjamin Walker Hanson Neonatology Fund
Celebrated Ben's life through years of Birthday Bashes that brought his community together
Sponsored the Reach Out and Read program at M Health Masonic Children's Hospital, bringing books into the NICU to strengthen the bond between newborns and their families
Built a community of supporters, volunteers, and friends united by love, loss, and hope

Learn about the work funded by Ben's Buddies over the last 15+ years.

Ben's Buddies is a nonprofit, all-volunteer charity group who raise money for the Benjamin Walker Hanson Neonatology Fund, part of the University of Minnesota Foundation. Our mission is to empower and support families and friends who have suffered the loss of a child while raising funds for newborn research & education.

© 2026 Ben's Buddies. All rights reserved. Ben's Buddies is a not-for-profit organization recognized as tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3). Click here to view a copy of the IRS determination letter.