Hop Aboard the Weirdest, Wildest, Most Lucrative (and Charitable) Masters Pool on the Planet
If Cousin Eddie from “National Lampoon’s Vacation” hosted a golf tournament at Amen Corner, it’d be the M4Max Challenge.
This Masters pool unlike any other has grown from humble beginnings to become a global phenomenon, drawing thousands of participants from sea to shining sea. With payouts that would make a Saudi prince blush and prizes as diverse as my swing flaws, the M4Max Challenge makes the best week in golf even better – all while making a tremendous positive impact.
To date, the M4Max Challenge has raised over $575,000 for kids with Type 1 Diabetes. So, whether you’re a seasoned pro or a shy, M4Max-curious rookie, hop on our golf cart and come ride with us down Magnolia Lane – the M4Max Challenge awaits, where fairways meet philanthropy and the fun is guaranteed.
How it Works
You pay your entry fee and pick a team of four players from four different categories. The lowest aggregate team score wins. It’s not hard.
Well, except, it is hard. If history is our guide, at some point you’ll find yourself cursing at least one player from your team who putts like he’s holding a jack hammer and crushes your shot at M4Max glory. Fear not: you may purchase multiple teams and there are many ways to win, including daily winners, a “Best Comeback” prize for the teams that perform best on the weekend, and even the coveted “Hindenburg” prize for the participant who performs the worst. Of course, we’ll also hold a variety of goofy meme and social media contests, so make sure you’re following our official Instagram @M4Max2024.
How the M4Max Challenge Makes an Impact
Every year this pool continues to grow. In 2023 we had 3,000+ participants representing every state in the union and a dozen countries. Last year we collected $125k in entry fees, paid almost $85k toward more than 100 prizes (including $28,500 to our co-champions, Peter Fioretti and Rob Fisher), and with the extraordinary generosity of so many, this tournament was able to donate almost $160k to Camp Ho Mita Koda, the nation’s first, oldest and best summer camp for kids with Type 1 Diabetes (like my now 16 year-old son, and our tournament namesake, Max). This little Masters pool has now donated more than $575,000 to charity since it began a little over a decade ago. Amazing.
M4Max Meets 17-Mile Drive!
New this year, if you donate just $25 extra beyond your entry fee, your name will be entered into a raffle to win a 3-night’s stay at an absolutely stunning home on Pebble Beach’s legendary 17 Mile Drive. Comfortably sleeping 6, this piece of Pebble perfection sits across the street from the famed “Lone Cypress” tree and less than 1 mile from the first tee at Pebble Beach. Generously made possible by Blumaka, the most innovative insoles on the planet (and used by several big name athletes, including a number of players in this year’s Masters field), the 3-night stay will include $4,000 to be used any way you like during your trip.
Ben Curtis is Back
Additionally, like last year, that same $25 extra donation will enter you to win a round of golf with 2003 British Open champ and former PGA Tour star, Ben Curtis, at the Country Club of Hudson, in Hudson, OH, this summer!
SWAG Alert!
That same $25 extra donation also makes you eligible to win a basket full of stuff, including a bottle of Blanton’s single-barrel bourbon, a truly one of a kind M4Max fairway wood cover from Little Prince Customs, M4Max polo, a pair of Blumaka insoles, a pair of Fleks footwear slides, and a hat from my brother’s jet brokerage, Mikolay Jet Group (alas, I couldn’t convince my good-for-nothing brother to donate a new Gulfstream G700. For now, the hat will have to do).
Want to Putt Like Ben Crenshaw?
Finally, everyone who donates at least $25 beyond their entry fee will receive a commemorative 2024 M4Max Challenge ball marker. Not only is this ball marker heavy and cool looking, it’s been hand rubbed with magical 4 leaf clovers by actual leprechauns in order to bring you exceptional luck out on the links.
A Quick Trip Down Memory Lane
More than a decade ago this was a simple office Masters pool among a handful of colleagues. Life was simpler and less stressful back then, but later that year my world was upended when Max, my then 3-year-old son, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), an incurable and potentially life-threatening autoimmune disease. Today, though, I’m happy to report that Max is a bright and athletic young man with a great sense of humor (and mercifully blessed with the good looks of his mother – phew!). And that little Masters pool? It grew. Oh boy, did it grow. It stretched across time zones and oceans, becoming a force for good. Like Max, this pool inspires me, so let’s keep a good thing going. Fist bump!
Finally, Are You A Handsome and Financially Reckless Billionaire with a Heart of Gold?
Yes?! Great! You’ll be happy to know that 100% of the funds you donate beyond your entry fee are not only tax deductible, they go toward helping kids this summer. If you’ve got a spare million or so parked in an offshore bank, feel free to put it to good use here.
For everyone else, please know that even if you don’t find yourself in the M4Max winner’s circle, your participation helps provide critical funding to support Camp Ho Mita Koda. 1/3 of all entry fees and 100% of all “extra” donations DIRECTLY SUPPORT a variety of camp programs, including a Campership Program that allows kids from low-income families to attend CHMK*. Without M4Max, many of these programs would not be possible.
Live Leaderboards – Track the Teams You Care About
M4Max features super slick Live Leaderboards that not only allow you to search all team by participant name, but you can also bookmark and track the teams of your family and friends (get those side pools going!).
Tips for the Rookies
- If you’re a M4Max newbie, take heed: there will be thousands of entries, so try to avoid picking the same popular players as everyone else. Just don’t pick Sandy Lyle, unless you’re a fan of players who shoot 85 and higher – or are deliberately trying to tank your team. Speaking of…
- Some people just like to watch the world burn, and in the past, a few M4Max participants would deliberately attempt to pick a terrible team in the hopes of winning the coveted (and quite lucrative) “DFL” prize. It became so popular we created another category, the “Hindenburg Bracket”, for those hoping to be the best at picking the worst teams. Caveat emptor: picking a team of hot garbage is harder than it appears. Just when you think Freddy Couples, aka the Silver Fox, is finally going to lose his magic touch, he’ll turn back the clock, ruin your M4Max chances, and run off with your wife.
- If you’re unsure who to pick, choose Patrick Reed. After all, who doesn’t love Patrick Reed. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The Path To Total Consciousness
If you help spread the word, and if you’re able to be as generous as ever, we’ll break every record. Our prize pool is likely to exceed $100k, and with any luck, we’ll be able to donate $200k to make a major impact on the lives of kids struggling with Type 1 Diabetes.
On behalf of Camp Ho Mita Koda, THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK!
Chris Mikolay (Max’s proud father)