For as long as Doug Marty has owned the Wellington National Golf Club, Chris Brady has been a big part of Marty’s operations team.
Brady often served outside as the greeter, which meant he was the first person that you would see at the club when you showed up to play golf. For the last decade, Brady has been willing and able to do anything at any time for Marty and the membership at Wellington National. There’s nothing that Marty has needed to get done in the clubhouse, the cart shed, on the driving range, in the parking lot or on the course that Brady has not been able to do.
“To say that Chris Brady has been an invaluable member of my operations team at the Wellington National Golf Club is an understatement,” Marty said. “He’s part of the fabric of the club.”
Now, Brady needs a helping hand. In March, Brady was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. While his prognosis is not good, Brady remains upbeat. And Marty shares Brady’s determination and optimism.
“Chris and his family are going to need some financial assistance,” Marty said. “And I am there to help, just as he’s helped me for years.”
To that end, Marty worked with the membership and staff at Wellington National to host a golf tournament for Brady on Saturday, May 9 to help with his soon-to-be-mounting medical bills. “Our goal was to raise a minimum of $150,000 for Chris,” Marty explained.
To help maximize the impact of the $250 entry fee charged to each person who played in the golf tournament, Marty waived the costs — greens fees and golf carts — that he normally charges for a fundraising golf tournament.
“This was not your average golf tournament, and this was not your average good cause. Chris Brady is very important to us,” Marty said.
The golf tournament was also conducted to remember and honor the life of a prominent and popular former club member, oral surgeon Dr. Michael Mauck, who lost his life to ALS on Dec. 5, 2025, at age 70.
In a powerful act of compassion, the Mauck family asked that 100 percent of this year’s proceeds be directed to Brady and his family to help cover mounting medical expenses and to fund his 12-year-old daughter’s future college education.
“We were planning to honor Dr. Mauck’s legacy through this annual event,” said Dean Vocaturo, an event committee member. “This year, we’re honoring Doc, while also supporting Chris and his family in the most meaningful way possible.”
The golf tournament featured a two-player, 6-6-6 (best ball, scramble, alternate shot) tournament format, along with a full day of activities, including a hole-in-one contest on the third hole where a Ford Bronco from Al Packer Ford was the prize, closest-to-the-pin competitions, a “beat the pro” challenge, raffle prizes, and many items available via silent and live auctions. A barbecue-themed luncheon and awards program, held onsite in the Bistro, followed the golf play.
Among the prizes available in the auctions and raffles, two came from as far away as Great Britain. The Prince’s Golf Club (Sandwich, Kent, England), the site of the 1932 British Open Championship and the venue for the 2030 Walker Cup, donated a foursome. Also, Scotland’s Royal Dornoch Golf Club, home of the third best golf course in the world outside the U.S., also donated a foursome.
By the end of play, 128 golfers had participated in the event. More than $158,000 was raised for Brady, of which at least $35,000 was raised to start a college fund for his daughter Emma.
“All of the funds that we generated at the golf tournament went to help Chris and his family,” Marty said. “The college fund will increase in the near future.”
Meanwhile, Marty’s fundraising efforts for Brady are only beginning.
“If you were unable to play in the golf tournament, there’s still a chance to lend a helping hand to help Chris,” he said. “He needs everybody’s assistance and deserves our help. I want to especially thank Dean Vocaturo, Mark Muller, David Weeks, Gregg Desantis, Marlize Cohn, Lance McAllister, Sherri Mauck and Ira Turret for their leadership and efforts. We also had a core group key volunteers — Tina Duane, Kristen Duane, Tammie Garnett, Tiffany Malacusky, Christine Vocaturo, Mary Desantis, Chris Mauck, Christina Antonakakis and Chris Newport — who dedicated a lot of time and great ideas to our tournament.”
If you’re interested in donating to help Chris Brady, find his GoFundMe campaign at www.gofundme.com/f/brady-family-als-journey-supporting-chris-through-als.
According to the CDC’s National ALS Registry, ALS continues to impact families across the country with nearly 5,000 Americans diagnosed each year.
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