Tee It Up With a World Series Hero: The 2026 MLB Retired Players Celebrity Classic in Phoenix

Tee It Up With a World Series Hero: The 2026 MLB Retired Players Celebrity Classic in Phoenix

Most Pro-Ams pair you with a guy who once shook hands with somebody famous. This one drops a genuine World Series hero into your foursome. Kurt Bevacqua, the man who hit .412 with two home runs as the San Diego Padres designated hitter in the 1984 World Series, is the chairman and host of the MLB Retired Players Association Celebrity Classic, and he wants you in the Valley of the Sun this September. If you have ever wanted to play 18 alongside a big leaguer, talk hitting between tee shots, and write off the whole weekend as a good deed, block out September 19 to 21.

And here is the kicker for the buddies trip crowd: the golf lands on a Monday. Burn a vacation day, tell the boss you have a thing, and go play a celebrity scramble in the desert. You are welcome.

THE WHO AND THE WHAT

Now in its second year, the Celebrity Classic is a celebrity-driven golf weekend built around a simple promise. Every foursome gets paired with a celebrity, which in this case means former MLB players and other recognizable names mixing it up with amateurs who paid to be there for a cause.

The money matters here. Proceeds go to Music Movement, which supports youth with autism and developmental disabilities, the MLB Retired Players Association under its Players Helping Others banner, and the Arizona State University baseball program. One of the weekend's anchors is a free youth baseball clinic for boys and girls ages 7 to 14, the kind of thing that reminds you why these guys played the game in the first place.

About your host. Bevacqua spent 15 seasons in the majors as a utility man and pinch hitter, the sort of grinder who earned the nickname Dirty Kurt and once won the Topps bubble gum blowing championship. He famously feuded with Tommy Lasorda. He hit two doubles, two homers, drove in four, and batted .412 against Detroit when it counted most.

WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW TO GET IN

The weekend runs September 19 to 21, 2026, in the greater Phoenix area. Saturday brings the youth clinic. Sunday is the reception for sponsors and celebrities at the host resort. Monday is golf at Ocotillo Golf Club in Chandler, with registration and breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m.

Individual entry runs $1,000 and covers golf, swag, on-course food, the reception meal, and the awards ceremony. A foursome package is $4,000, and a limited number of single players can sign up solo and get slotted into a group.

WHERE TO PLAY

Ocotillo Golf Club is one of Arizona's most distinctive resort courses. Designed by Ted Robinson, known throughout the golf world as the "King of Waterscapes," the course features 27 holes with water in play on 24 of them.

Cascading waterfalls, shimmering lakes, lush turf, and strategic water hazards make Ocotillo feel unlike a traditional desert course. Golf Digest awarded the facility 4.5 stars on its Best Places to Play list, while Golf World recognized it among the Top 50 Resort Courses.

For the Celebrity Classic, players will tackle the Oasis and Sky nines, considered the most challenging combination on the property.

WHERE TO STAY

The host hotel is Gila River Resorts & Casinos – Wild Horse Pass, a AAA Four Diamond destination and presenting sponsor of the event.

Following a $180 million expansion, the resort now features the impressive Sunrise Tower and Prime, a Shula's Steak House located on the 11th floor with sweeping views of the Estrella Mountains and Arizona sunsets.

The convenience factor is hard to beat. The Sunday reception takes place on property, the casino is downstairs, the restaurants are steps away, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is less than 20 minutes away.

WHAT TO DO ALONG THE WAY

The resort features more than a thousand slot machines, table games, and a BetMGM Sportsbook. Visitors can also enjoy Aji Spa, live entertainment in the Showroom, and nearby shopping at Phoenix Premium Outlets.

Golfers looking for additional rounds can head to nearby Whirlwind Golf Club, while craft beer lovers can explore Chandler's growing brewery scene, including SanTan Brewing and Pedal Haus Brewery.

The Pitch

You could play another faceless scramble at the local muni and call it a buddies trip. Or you could spend a Monday in the desert playing a Ted Robinson gem alongside a World Series hero, with a casino resort as your basecamp, a steakhouse in the sky, and a worthy cause at the center of it all.

To register or inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact event chairman Kurt Bevacqua at kurtb@mlbalum.com or tournament coordinator Bill D'Agostino at bill@music-movement.org.