A golf event by bankers, for bankers—and for the community

Ten years ago, a small group of bankers came up with a simple idea: get together for a golf tournament, enjoy a day on the course and raise money for a good cause. That idea has since grown into a Houston banking tradition that attracts around 200 players each year and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local nonprofits.

“The first year started with eight guys in a locker room at a golf course and a couple of teams just to have some fun,” said Caleb Harris, the current president of the Houston Banker’s Classic board. A Bank of Texas relationship manager focused on commercial real estate (CRE), Harris started participating in the event around five years ago. “It started small, and each year it picked up a little more and a little more. Now this will be our 10th year, a big anniversary year.”

From a few teams to an annual industry event

Over the decade, participation has expanded from 20 to 30 teams of four players each to 45 to 55 teams. Around 70% of the players are bankers from across the Houston area, with Bank of Texas maintaining a large presence both in terms of players and volunteers.

Although the tournament allows a limited number of players from banking-adjacent industries such as law firms, title firms and CPA firms, those players are capped at around 30% of participants, said Amy Farrell, former president of the event’s board and a current board member. An underwriter for Bank of Texas’ Senior Housing Group, she first attended the event in 2019 and then joined the board in 2022 to help with communications and marketing.

“I feel like our tagline is unofficially Houston Bankers Classic, by bankers, for bankers,” she explained. “The bankers are the ones that run it. The bankers are the ones that are really the target audience.”

One of the most inspiring elements of the Houston Banker’s Classic is that it is entirely led by volunteers. The board, made up of local banking professionals serving three-to-five-year terms, spends months planning the event, from recruiting teams and sponsors to assembling player gift bags, securing raffle prizes and coordinating tournament logistics. Planning for the next tournament typically begins just a few months after the previous one ends.

While golf and camaraderie remain a key part of the event, its charitable mission has become equally important. Over the last several years, the tournament has donated roughly $50,000 annually to selected nonprofits.

Rather than supporting large national organizations, the board intentionally focuses on local groups where the donation can make a meaningful difference, Harris said. Each nonprofit is typically selected for a two-year partnership, allowing organizers and participants to build deeper relationships with the organizations they support. That approach has helped create lasting connections beyond the tournament itself.

Aiding Houston nonprofits beyond a single day on the course

This year’s beneficiary, Gracewood, serves single mothers and their children who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability. The nonprofit provides housing, financial literacy education, career readiness training and other support services designed to help families build long-term stability. Last year, Gracewood also received $60,000 from tournament proceeds, representing a significant contribution toward the organization’s annual fundraising goals.

“Being chosen as a recipient of The Houston Banker’s Classic is such a wonderful gift,” said Sally Reed, Gracewood’s director of development. “The team and board members are fabulous. They really care about the nonprofits they choose to serve.”

According to Reed, board members took the time to visit Gracewood’s campus, tour its facilities, learn about its programs and meet the families it serves. Those efforts helped raise awareness among tournament participants and introduced Gracewood to potential supporters who may never have encountered the organization otherwise.

“The visibility for Gracewood with the Houston Banker's Classic is huge,” Reed said. “We got to meet so many new people through this tournament and share about Gracewood.”

When a donation becomes a connection

Houston Haven is a former beneficiary of the Houston Banker’s Classic. Event organizers like Bank of Texas employee Amy Farrell continue to volunteer for the nonprofit.

Previous beneficiaries tell a similar story.

Houston Haven, which provides low-cost housing for families traveling to Houston for cancer treatment, was selected as a beneficiary before Gracewood. While the financial support was important, the organization's leaders say the relationships formed through the tournament were equally valuable.

“As a newer organization, the Banker’s Classic gave us the opportunity to share Houston Haven with people we may not have otherwise crossed paths with,” said Karen Campbell, executive director of the organization. “Through the Banker’s Classic, we connected with several new volunteers who immediately jumped in to serve.”

Farrell was one of them. “I actually got involved with Houston Haven because of the tournament and now I’m really loving volunteering with them,” she said. She and other volunteers have helped furnish homes, deliver meals, mentor families and provide holiday gifts.

The tournament’s financial impact was also substantial. At the time, Houston Haven was seeking to purchase a four-bedroom home near Houston's medical center to accommodate families receiving cancer treatment.

“The funds from the Banker’s Classic helped make that possible by allowing us to purchase the home outright,” Campbell said. “These larger homes make an incredible difference for the families we serve.”

For Harris and Farrell, stories like those help explain why the event has continued to grow year after year. Each October, participants gather for breakfast tacos, coffee, friendly competition and a day on the course before hearing directly from the nonprofit being supported. There are trophies, contests and plenty of bragging rights, but the real impact extends far beyond the final scorecard.

Farrell hopes the tournament's impact extends beyond the check presented at the end of the day.

“Our hope from the tournament is not just that people come show up, have fun and play golf,” she said. “We also want it to be a great way to get the banking community more outwardly focused and service-oriented.”

Top photo: Last year’s Houston Banker’s Classic raised $60,000 for the nonprofit Gracewood, which is also the beneficiary of this year’s event.