VIP Pairings Party featuring Dinner, Casino Games, and Auctions

Tony Harvey
Oct 20
4 min read

Updated: Oct 23

Reception Set the Stage For

Phil Oates Celebrity

Golf Classic

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Sports and Community

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Footage, Photos, and Text by Tony ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌ ‌|‌ Public Information Officer

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THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Sacramento, Calif. — On the evening of Oct. 12, businessman and philanthropist Phil Oates hosted a reception for the 5th annual Celebrity Golf Classic fundraiser in the spacious Buzz Oates warehouse near the Sacramento International Airport.

The glamorous reception was held for participants of the golf tournament, corporate sponsors, and guests. The special occasion served as a pre-tournament celebration and pairings event.

The attendees were treated to a full-course dinner (prepared by a world-renowned chef), playful casino games, and both silent and live auctions to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for various causes. The reception and golf tournament attract notable personalities from the world of sports and entertainment.

The reception featured celebrities such as Marcus Allen (NFL), Tim Brown (NFL) Mike Bibby (NBA), Gary Payton (NBA) Sugar Ray Leonard (boxing champion), Scot Pollard (NBAl), Greg Vaughn (MLB), David Justice (MLB), Dusty Baker (MLB), Cedric the Entertainer (Comedian and Entertainer), Anthony Anderson (actor and comedian), Dennis Haysbert (actor) and others.

When Oates and his associates started the celebrity tournament five years ago, he "was afraid nobody would come," he said. Now the events offer a different kind of competition than their professional sport, with a strong focus on networking and charity, which adds to the appeal for participants and spectators alike.

It's just a great event. We've raised over $1.5 million in the five years," Oates said. We would not be able to do this without the sponsors. We had six new ones this year, but you can't have a celebrity tournament without celebrities. During the first year, we were scrambling a little bit, but look at all the ones here. I greeted almost everyone of you when you came through the door. I am humbled."

Some of the sponsors included Sponsor Applied, Underwriters, Buzz Oates Group, Cook Engineering, Dyer Construction, Morgan Stanley, and Pacific Coast Building Products.

The golf tournament is a team-based charity classic rather than a competitive professional tournament. It took place Oct. 13, 2025, at the Granite Bay Golf Club in Granite Bay, California. More than $400,000 was raised in funding.

Presented by Bayside Church and Destiny Community Service, the Celebrity Golf Classic fundraiser supports various local and statewide charities, including the Bayside Foundation, Destiny Christian Academy, First Tee, and Battlefields to Ballfields.

Typically, they attract a high-net-worth demographic, provide lucrative sponsorship and fundraising opportunities, and offer a relaxed setting for networking and building relationships with donors and businesses.

The events raise money through entry fees, sponsorships, and side games, such as auctions, while also increasing visibility for the cause and fostering community spirit.

"In the next 24 hours, I want you to escape the reality of life and just enjoy who you are," Oates said to the guests and participants. It doesn't matter what kind of golfer you are."

Many professional athletes genuinely care about giving back and use their fame to raise funds and awareness for a cause they are passionate about, such as their own foundation or a charity close to their heart. It's also a way for them to enjoy their hobby, maintain a competitive spirit, and socialize with sponsors and other athletes, and influential people in a relaxed environment.

Actor and comedian Anthony Anderson is actively involved in charity events, primarily through his own organization, the Anderson Family Foundation. He is also a host for galas and other charitable events.

As a native of Compton, California, Anderson uses his platform to raise money for charities that support his childhood hometown. He has raised funds through the golf tournaments and other foundation activities to support various causes and organizations, including:

Boys & Girls Club of America
The Black Academy of Arts and Letters
The Los Angeles Mission
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Educational scholarships for students at Howard University

"It's always good to give back. I wouldn't be where I am in life of my career if I didn't reach back," Anderson said. "It's something I try to encourage everyone to do. Especially, in the Black community."

Phil Oates, the Chairman of the Board for Buzz Oates, is one of the largest privately held commercial real estate investment management companies in the United States. Founded in 1946 by Marvin "Buzz" Oates, it is headquartered in Sacramento, Calif., and focuses on industrial and office markets, primarily in California's Central Valley and the Mountain West.

Phil Oates is a minority owner of the Sacramento Kings, which stages many charity events that provide generous donations to good causes. He has been a Kings season ticket holder since the team first moved to Sacramento in 1985. The Buzz Oates Charitable Foundation participates in charitable initiatives and partnerships that benefit the community.

The annual golf tournament is presented to place special emphasis on charities that serve disadvantaged youth and to make a lasting impact on the Sacramento community. In recent years include the Anrak Foundation, Jesuit High School, St. Mary's Men's Basketball, the Susan L. Rogers Foundation, St. John's Program for Real Change, the American Heart Association, and Battlefields to Ballfields and Heart of JB have received donations.

"I know it means so much to my day to have this many supporters. It's been a special thing that he has been able to develop over the past five years," said Courtney Oates, Phil Oates' daughter.