|
|
 |
|
|
xtreme couture golf tournament held at las vegas golf club by Lucas Jackson
|
|
|
xtreme couture golf tournament held at las vegas golf club |
|
|
|
|
|
Sports
|
|
|
Few individuals, if any, are tougher than Randy Couture. After all, the expert mixed martial artist, recognized as the "Natural," is the only five-time champion in the history of his sport, and he has held Ultimate Fighting Championship titles in two different weight divisions.But Couture will certainly be the first to tell you he's got nothing on what several U.S. soldiers have gone through in Iraq as well as Afghanistan, especially those who have been wounded in action. That's why he and his wife Kim founded the Xtreme Couture G.I. Foundation a year and a half ago. On Thursday Sept. 25,Couture's cause at Rhodes Ranch Golf Club in Las Vegas by playing in his first-ever charity golf tournament to benefit the G.I. Foundation. People who play were not only helping a good cause, but they also had a opportunity to meet the Coutures and a number of other top fighters as well as celebrities from the entertainment industry.The scramble tournament will pair four-person amateur teams with a celeb. The event will be part of a weekend special event that will also incorporate an auction, food and entertainment. Cost of the tournament is $175. The field is limited to the first 144 players.Couture served six years in the Army from 1982 to 1988. He was trained as an air traffic controller, but got heavily involved in the sport he excelled at and invested the last four years of his military career representing the U.S. Army in national and worldwide wrestling competitions. He competed in four U.S. Olympic Trials and was an All-American at Oklahoma State University before embarking on his professional fighting profession. He says the foundation is about giving back to individuals who have sacrificed for The United States."I was very fortunate, having been through that military experience and lived that life," Couture says. "Now, 20 years later, I have the opportunity to do appearances and give back. It's a chance to get involved and contribute to those soldiers who are putting it on the line."To date, the foundation, which was formed primarily to boost money and awareness for those wounded in action and their family members, has raised around $150,000 through events such as a 5K run and poker event. Several of the 24,000 wounded have suffered severely traumatic injuries such as gunshot wounds, burns and blast injuries, some resulting in amputations, and need the foundation's help, Couture says.Through referrals from the military services, the foundation has been able to assist prevent families of wounded soldiers from becoming homeless, paying bills for those who could not handle the extra expense of staying near their convalescing soldier and supporting discharged soldiers start their lives back home. A major part of the funding also has gone toward buying special sports gear and prosthesises for people who have disabilities and want to resume or take part in athletic activities."They kind of use athletics as a means to get themselves back into society and contributing," Couture says. "They could certainly find lots of excuses not to do those sorts of things."The objective is to raise $90,000 through the golf event and weekend activities, he says.Couture says he drew motivation for the golf event when he took part in ex-New York Giants' defensive end Michael Strahan's golf event earlier this summer. Strahan's tournament, which was held in the New York City area, raises money for underprivileged children. Couture, who grew up playing a little golf in his home town of Lynnwood, Wash., and once worked at a golf course, says, nevertheless, that it's not so much about the golf as it is about having fun and raising money for a good cause."I don't know if golf gets any better than it is in Las Vegas," Couture says. "Most people don't need a huge excuse to come to Vegas anyway. A chance to come support our soldiers, especially those troops coming back that have been wounded, is a pretty good cause."In addition to Randy and Kim Couture, determined celebrity guests include: Ken Casey, the lead singer and bass player for the Boston punk band "The Dropkick Murphys"; Pete Koller, guitar player for the popular New York Hardcore band "Sick of it All"; UFC fighter Karo "The Heat" Parisyan, the No. 10 ranked welterweight in the world; singer, musician and comedian Bert Lynch; UFC fighter Stephen Bonner; world class welterweight John "The Natural" Alessio; and Winky Wright, the former light middleweight world champion and a current middleweight contender. An invitation to Strahan and several other celebrity friends such as actors Rob Schneider and Kevin James are also going out, Couture says. Participants also had a opportunity to bid on an auction bundle that will allow full access to a private mixed martial arts session at the Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts Training Center in Las Vegas, where Couture still trains some two and a half hours each day with his fighters.At age 45, Couture says he hopes to take on Russia's Fedor Emelianenko, who many consider to be the very best heavyweight fighter in the world for the last five years. Couture, who has been in a legal dispute with the UFC, would like the fight to occur by the end of the year."The UFC is going to try to keep me from doing that," he says. "But I don't think they will be able to do that forever."
Related Articles -
golf shop las vegas, golf discount las vegas, golf equipment las vegas,
|
Rate This Article  |
|
|
|
|
|
Do you Agree or Disagree? Have a Comment? POST IT!
| Reader Opinions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author Login |
|
|
 |
Advertiser Login
ADVERTISE HERE NOW!
Limited Time $60 Offer!
90 Days-1.5 Million Views
|
|
TIM FAY
After 60-plus years of living, I am just trying to pass down some of the information that I have lea...more
|
|
|
|
|
LAURA JEEVES
At LeadGenerators, we specialise in content-led Online Marketing Strategies for our clients in the t...more
|
|
|
|
|
ALEX BELSEY
I am the editor of QUAY Magazine, a B2B publication based in the South West of the UK. I am also the...more
|
|
|
|
|
GENE MYERS
Author of four books and two screenplays; frequent magazine contributor. I have four other books "in...more
|
|
|
|
|
SUSAN FRIESEN
Located in the lower mainland of B.C., Susan Friesen is a visionary brand strategist, entrepreneur, ...more
|
|
|
|
|
STEPHEN BYE
Steve Bye is currently a fiction writer, who published his first novel, ‘Looking Forward Through the...more
|
|
|
|
|
SHALINI MITTAL
A postgraduate in Fashion Technology. Shalini is a writer at heart! Writing for her is an expression...more
|
|
|
|
|
ADRIAN JOELE
I have been involved in nutrition and weight management for over 12 years and I like to share my kn...more
|
|
|
|
|
JAMES KENNY
James is a Research Enthusiast that focuses on the understanding of how things work and can be impro...more
|
|
|
|
