
The Kauflin Invitational has been running full speed since 2001, when four lonely souls decided to try their hand at a little golf trip to Mesquite, Nevada. They invited a few more guys the next year, and the Kauflin Invitational began to blossom. Reaching new heights in 2008 with over 40 participants, the KI (as it has become known) was firmly established as the annual event of the summer.
For 10 solid years the Kauflin Invitational called Mesquite, Nevada its home. In 2011, we said goodbye to Mesquite and put new roots down in Las Vegas. Although we found the golf a little ordinary compared to Mesquite and St. George, Utah, there was no denying the entertainment value of staying on Fremont Street. We are huge fans of the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino and its sister property, The D Hotel.
For 2017 a major change was made due to the US Open being held in Wisconsin at Erin Hills. Many of us volunteered for the tournament, so a decision had to be made. Go to Vegas a different week? Or try something completely different? We decided to do a real golf trip and did the Kohler “Dye-Abolical” Package at Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run. It was worth every penny as we got in 7 rounds over four days.
Starting in 2018, the Kauflin Invitational has bounced around a bit. We did Vegas, Mesquite, and also found a new home in Reno for a couple of years. In 2022 we went in a completely new direction, executing the first edition of the “Kauflin International” in Northern Ireland. 2023 saw a second international trip, this time to the St. Andrews area of Scotland. Whether we do more of these bigger, international trips remains to be seen. But starting in 2024 we have found a terrific spot in mid-January, visiting Rawn Emig out in Laughlin, NV. We will be going out to Laughlin over NFL Wild Card Weekend for the foreseeable future.