Good Bull

A few years after graduating from Texas A&M together, college roommates Cory Rutledge ’03 and Matt Paresky ’03 grabbed a couple drinks at a sports bar and picked up an ongoing conversation.

“Our little group never gets together anymore,” Cory said.

The only times he and his buddies from Texas A&M ever hung out seemed to be when one of them was getting married, he said. “And no one was getting married.”

As the two discussed what could bring their group of Aggie buddies together for a weekend, the answer suddenly seemed simple.

“Golf,” Cory said.

“Golf,” Matt agreed. Golf while wearing knickers.

Corey laughed, but Matt was serious.

“We should get everyone to wear knickers,” Matt said. The comedian of the group, he already had experience showing up to golf in funny hats, and he owned a pair of golf knickers. It was perfect, he said. “Let’s send out an email and invite all our friends and tell them they have to wear knickers to play.”

And so they did, and the first Knickers or Nothin’ golf tournament was held in 2006 with 22 golfers; everyone obeyed the dress code.

“Everything went so well, we wanted to do it again,” Cory said. They had something special and they knew it. Their just-for-fun golf tournament could really do something big, he said. They could make a difference
with their silliness and fun.

They started thinking about doing a golf tournament that would benefit charity. Cory’s sister Allison is a cancer survivor. A tumor was found on her tailbone when Cory was a freshman in college. He would drive from College Station to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston every chance he could. So, they knew they wanted to do something to benefit cancer research.

After much exploration, they found their match with the organization Wipe Out Kids' Cancer, a Dallas-based non-profit organization with its mind set on eradicating pediatric cancer by funding innovative research, education and treatment, while providing hope to children affected by cancer.  

They raised $1,000 that year. The next, they vetted $5,000, then $10,000. Last year Knickers or Nothin’ raised $25,000.

“We started talking to folks and slowly everything started snowballing,” Cory said. “I never would have thought that it would get this big.”

With no formal advertising and no mass marketing, these two Aggies and a board of directors made up of mostly Aggies are looking for an even bigger tournament this year. Held annually on May 5, it’s too late to
participate in this year’s tournament, but it’s the perfect time to start shopping for your knickers for next year.

If you’re not a golfer, don’t worry. Matt says he isn’t either. Knickers are the unifier, he said—knickers, a heart for those with cancer, and the Aggie Spirit.

All the Aggies on the board of directors include: Cory Rutledge '03, Matt Paresky '03, Bret Richards '01, Roxanne Richards '01, Spencer Newton '03, Chris Kelly '98, Brad Pace '01 and Allen Reed '04

The image above is of Rutledge (left) and Paresky (right) at a 2009 tournament.

The group photo is from the 2011 tournament.