You have supported The First Tee through your individual donations, your participation in the Hamico Inc. Birdies for Dollars program, as well as your recent donations to our “pre-loved” golf equipment sale this past November 12 (an event in which we raised in excess of $1,500).

Several of you that were not involved in any of these programs have recently asked me what you could do to help support The First Tee. 

Let me answer that in two ways.  First, we are always looking for volunteers and trained coaches.  If you have an interest in either of those please contact our executive director, Kathleen McCarthy, at 423.855.8535.

Secondly, we are of course always looking for financial support; specifically we are in need of smaller donations from a large number of donors.  No charitable organization can survive in these times relying solely on major gifts.

www.ifyoulikegolf.com is a strong believer in The First Tee program and encourages each of you, the golfing community of Chattanooga, to get involved in supporting this great program.

www.ifyoulikegolf.com would like to show its support also.  Therefore we are making available to you the opportunity to donate to The First Tee Chattanooga via our website. 

Since we can only do “fixed” amounts on our website we are making three levels of donations available – $43, $50, and $100.  (If you are curious about the amount of $43 please read this brochure for an explanation).

To show our financial support www.ifyoulikegolf.com will donate to The First Tee the credit card charges incurred as a result of your donation; therefore 100% of your donation will go to The First Tee Chattanooga.

In addition, as president of the board of directors of The First Tee Chattanooga I will personally match the first $1,000 that we receive as a result of this offering.

Thanks again for your continued support. 

Now please feel free to cost me $1,000…

Mike Jenkins
President, Board of Directors, The First Tee Chattanooga

P.S.  If you prefer not to give via credit card, please mail a check to The First Tee Chattanooga, 2453 Hickory Valley Road, Chattanooga, TN  37421.  Mark your check www.ifyoulikegolf.com so that it will count towards the $1,000 matching gift.

Click here to donate $43

Click here to donate $50

Click here to donate $100

If you would like to send Chris a note of support please drop him an email at cmdortch@comcast.net.

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_212329.asp

We will have three events going on that day for all golfers in our area.

First, we will have a “pre-loved” golf equipment sale.  Please come out and look for that hidden gem that will help you take your game to the next level, or find those clubs to help you, a friend, or loved one get started playing this great game.

Secondly, the range will be available to the public from 10:00 am till 3:00 pm for just a $10 donation to The First Tee.  This will give you an opportunity to see this great facility if you haven’t already, and to test any pre-loved club that might interest you.

Finally, we will be having a “golf relay” competition on the 3-hole loop from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm.  Various teams of six players will see how fast they can play 9-holes on the loop using one golf ball between them.

Rules of golf apply, but score doesn’t matter, just speed.  How long do you think it would take you and five of your friends to complete 9-holes on the 3-hole loop (2 par 3′s and a short par 4).  It should be a fun event to watch and/or in which to participate.

If interested in entering a team or learning more, send an email to TheFirstTeeChattanooga@gmail.com or contact Relay Chairman David McKenna at 423.304.7418.

And of course all proceeds raised in all these events will go to the great program work of The First Tee of Chattanooga!

See you on the 12^th at The Player Development Center, 2453 Hickory Valley Road 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.

Mike Jenkins
President, Board of Directors
The First Tee of Chattanooga

On Saturday, November 12 we will be selling used golf equipment at The First Tee of Chattanooga.  You can help us with this fundraiser by cleaning out that garage and donating those used golf clubs that have been collecting dust and taking up all that space.

If you have clubs or other equipment you would like to donate please drop them off at The First Tee by Friday, November 4, or send an email to TheFirstTeeChattanooga@gmail.com to discuss possible pick-up.

We appreciate your support!

Mike Jenkins
President, Board of Directors
The First Tee of Chattanooga

From left to right
Brendon Wilson, Harry Hill, Champion Jonathan Frost, Thomas Gallant

10 different area clubs were represented.

Order of finish:

1 – Jonathan Frost – CGCC

2 – Brendon Wilson – Winstone

3 – Harry Hill – Council Fire

4 – Thomas Gallant – Lookout Mountain

5 – Gary Baker – Valleybrook

6 – Daryl Atchley – Black Creek Club

7T – Brandon Cissom – Bear Trace

7T – David Partack – Moccasin Bend

9T – Rich Spangler – Battlefield

9T – Logan Chambers – Champions Club at Hampton Creek

Entries include 6 different 2011 area champions (representing 7 different tournament wins).  Those include:

Mitch Hufstetler – Brainerd Invitational

Brandon Cissom – North Georgia Invitational and Cleveland Country Club Invitational

Matt Robertson – Ira Templeton Chattanooga Open

Jimmy White III – Chattanooga Men’s Metro

Sam Bedwell – Kiwanis City Four-Ball

Rich Spangler – CDGA Four-Ball Match Play

In addition UTC Golf Coach Mark Guhne will be making his amateur debut after 8 years as a professional.  Personally that makes me very happy because I think I can still beat him – I can’t beat those other guys.

See you Saturday…

There are at least four primary reasons players should be coming back to the Red Bud this year.

(1)     The course – Reports are that the course, both fairways and greens, are in great shape.  I have talked to several people that played recently in the Valleybrook Member-Guest and they were all in agreement that both the fairways and greens were as good as they have ever seen.

(2)    The dates – Playing in September should bring cooler weather, and it is at a time that many other clubs in town are playing on aerified greens, making the condition of Valleybrook’s bermuda greens at that time even more appealing.

(3)    Both Hamico, Inc. Birdies for Dollars title and Chattanooga Area Player of the Year are at stake, and both are very tight races.  Not playing in Red Bud would virtually eliminate someone from being able to win either title.

(4)    Finally, this is the last local tournament for earning Adman Cup points to qualify for this year’s Chattanooga TPC.  There are several players “on the bubble” and the Red Bud will give them the opportunity to obtain those much needed points.

Players may enter online on the home page. 

Look forward to seeing you next weekend at Valleybrook.

Quarterfinals Saturday at 3:00  PM at CGCC – semifinals Sunday morning at 9:00 at Council Fire – finals after lunch at Council Fire.

Return to this page to check Twitter updates Saturday afternoon and Sunday for live updates of the matches (or follow @ifyoulikegolf on your phone).

<====  Twitter updates from @ifyoulikegolf

It has been a blast for all the hosts, Mike Jenkins, Quake, Dr. B and Cowboy Joe. We have been fortunate to host such great guests this year as Ben Crenshaw, Annika Sorenstam, Golf Channel’s Charlie Rymer, Vince Gill, sports pyschologist Charles Plott and Dr. Rob Bell, as well as many other interesting national and local guests.

Those of us involved have enjoyed every minute of it, but what about you? We would love to hear your thoughts and any ideas for next year.

Let us hear from you by sending an email to TheFirstTeeGolfHour@gmail.com and you will have an opportunity to win 2 Sunday passes to the PGA Championship in Atlanta.

On next week’s show (Thursday, August 11) we will draw one name from the list of everyone that sends their comments for 2 Sunday tickets to PGA Championship in Atlanta (good for Sunday, August 14). These tickets give the winner access for two to the grounds for the final round of this year’s last major and access to an air conditioned tent with TV’s, access to food, etc.

The tickets are complimentary from The First Tee of Chattanooga as a way of saying “thank you for listening.”

If you would like include your full name and a phone number and we will call you should your name be drawn as the lucky winner; otherwise we will contact via email.

We look forward to hearing from you and good luck!

Sincerely,

The First Tee Golf Hour

Proceeds from the PGA TOUR’s Nationwide Tour event, with a total purse of $500,000, will now also benefit Children’s Hospital at Erlanger. The Children’s Hospital Classic will be played at Black Creek Mountain the week of Oct. 3-9, 2011.

“The Children’s Hospital Classic will become the signature fundraising event for Children’s Hospital at Erlanger,” said Jim Brexler, President and CEO of Erlanger Medical Center that includes Children’s Hospital. “With community support and the support of business partners, this year’s tournament will help fulfill the dream list of major projects at the region’s only children’s hospital,” Brexler said. Among those dream list projects this year are plans for an “extreme makeover” of inpatient rooms at the T. C. Thompson Children’s Hospital campus at Erlanger.

Executive Director of Friends of the Festival Chip Baker added, “The Children’s Hospital Classic is now focused on children more than ever; it’s all about children, with tournament proceeds benefiting the First Tee of Chattanooga and meeting the needs of children at Children’s Hospital.”

“There is such a strong relationship between the Nationwide Tour and Children’s Hospital,” said Tournament Director Mickey McCamish. “Just as the Nationwide Tour produces future stars and leaders for the PGA TOUR, Children’s Hospital at Erlanger provides treatment for future stars and leaders of our community.”

“The Children’s Hospital at Erlanger is a wonderful facility and we are extremely proud to be associated with an organization that dedicates itself to the care and wellness of children and their families,” said Nationwide Tour President Bill Calfee. “The PGA TOUR has always been focused on charity and positively impacting the lives of others, and this is another example of that commitment. We welcome Children’s Hospital as our beneficiary, and look forward to growing the impact of this event in the community.”

Scott Gardiner won last year’s Chattanooga Classic. The 2010 tournament has been well represented on the PGA TOUR with 24 participants now holding TOUR cards. In 2011, the PGA TOUR has had four rookie winners, three of whom-Gary Woodland (The Transitions Championship), Brendan Steele (Valero Texas Open) and 2010 Chattanooga Classic visitor Keegan Bradley (HP Byron Nelson Championship)- played in Chattanooga last October. Another 2010 participant, Kevin Chappell, earned a third place tie at the U. S. Open.