Patriot Golf Day Benefits American Heroes

For the fourth consecutive year, thousands of golf facilities nationwide will participate in Patriot Golf Day®, over Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 3-6), collecting donations and raising awareness for Folds of Honor Foundation.

Patriot Golf Day, jointly supported by The PGA of America and the United States Golf Association, is the primary fundraiser for Folds of Honor which awards post-secondary educational scholarships for children and spouses of military servicemen and women killed or disabled while serving our great nation.


Through events across the country since 2007, PGA Professionals have helped raise more than $5.3 million, allowing Folds of Honor to award 1,163 post-secondary educational scholarships.

George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States of America, is the Honorary Chairman of this year’s Patriot Golf Day Weekend. President Bush joins PGA of America President Jim Remy, Patriot Golf Day founder and PGA Professional Major Dan Rooney, double amputee Staff Sgt. Heath Calhoun, and FOX & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade to “tee off” Patriot Golf Day Weekend, Friday (Sept. 3) in Waco, Texas. Calhoun’s three children - Mason, 7, Brystal, 5, and Bailee, 4, are Folds of Honor future-use scholarship recipients. Calhoun lost both of his legs above the knee from injuries sustained when his Humvee was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade in Mozul, Iraq, Nov. 7, 2003.

“Patriot Golf Day gives us a chance to recognize our American heroes, which is the least we can do as American citizens,” PGA of America President Jim Remy said. “It’s an honor to be able to kick off Patriot Golf Day weekend with a former President, as well as privilege to play with Major Dan Rooney and an American hero, Staff Sgt. Calhoun, who sacrificed so much so that we can have our freedom.”

During Labor Day weekend at participating public courses, golfers are asked to donate at least $1 for each round of golf. Participating private facilities will accept donations. Non-golfers can also participate by making a donation to the foundation at its website at FoldsofHonor.org.

As a proud supporter and Official Card of Patriot Golf Day, American Express will match donations made using an American Express® Card during Patriot Golf Day Weekend (Sept. 3-6) to support the Folds of Honor Foundation.

While registration is still in progress, there are currently more than 3,500 facilities registered to host Patriot Golf Day events nationwide. Seven PGA Sections have at least 50 percent of its facilities registered to host Patriot Golf Day events led by the Tennessee PGA Section with 100 percent (172 facilities). The Aloha PGA Section has 85.5 percent of its facilities registered, followed by Midwest (85.4 percent), Carolinas (68.4 percent), North Florida (57.4 percent), New Jersey (52.9 percent) and Nebraska (50 percent).

For the most updated list of registered facilities, visit PlayGolfAmerica.com or PatriotGolfDay.com.


More about Patriot Golf Day and the Folds of Honor

There are 172,000 dependents of fallen and wounded military service men and women from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts alone, and 85 percent of those dependents do not qualify for federal educational assistance. Patriot Golf Day allows the Folds of Honor to present an ongoing tribute to our brave service members by ensuring that the families of fallen and wounded warriors have hope for the right educational start to life and best future possible.

Major Dan Rooney, a PGA Professional, USGA member and F-16 military pilot with the Oklahoma Air National Guard, founded the Folds of Honor Foundation following his second of three tours of duty in Iraq. After witnessing the tragic homecoming of a fallen American solider, Rooney was inspired to start Folds of Honor to provide support to military families in the aftermath of their tragedies.

The inaugural Patriot Golf Day was held Sept. 1, 2007, and resulted in donations of more than $1 million!

The second annual event was held over Labor Day weekend (Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2008) and raised more than $2 million, while the 2009 event raised more than $2.3 million.

So, if you're planning on playing golf this weekend, make sure you give to the families of the heroes who admirably served this great country! G-d Bless the USA!

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Would the Big Apple take a bite out of Tiger Woods?

Would Tiger Woods thrive in the Big Apple or will a possible rebound apartment in New York City send him packing to Jupiter Island, Florida?

As Chris Cross' song states ("Arthur" Soundtrack), "When you get caught betweeen the moon and New York City, the best that you can do is fall in love.."

With reports varying from Tiger Woods not moving into an apartment on Hudson Street in New York to internet articles pondering if it would be a good idea, I wondered the same.

Tiger Woods is no stranger to the Big Apple: he has a few memories (cough...Bethpage Black) which have sent him packing. But it is the latest issue of a $54 million mortgage taken out on his Florida bachelor pad may just have taken the bite out of his plans.

After reading ten reasons Tiger Woods should have an apartment in NYC and then the opposing side (both on Bleacher Report), I wondered if the greatest golfer in the world would be happy in the biggest city in the world or anywhere at this point in his life!

Elliott Pohnl's positive response to Woods' new digs leads to the conclusion that will spur Tiger on to more wins. From Tiger Woods "turning over a new leaf" to the ability to dodge the press, the benefits seem to neutralize the negatives.

On the flip side, having Rachel Uchitel close at hand isn't necessarily a good idea as New York City is ripe with young single women and plenty of cougars ready to pounce on newly single golf royalty. The need to fix his life before his golf swing also should have been damage control priority during the 2010 season, but better late than not at all.

On the flip side, I don't believe RM Herold should be offering up an opposing view as to why Tiger Woods' bachelor pad is a "bad idea."

First of all, advice should not be given by someone who is terrified of New Yorkers.

"Nothing but dirty looks and snide comments as I walked down the street with my 'Yankees Suck, Red Sox Rule' t-shirt on." You are lucky that you didn't get that tee-shirt ripped off of your back!

Seriously, New Yorkers have a lot of respect for the Red Sox team: it's the fans we have a problem with! Walk through the streets of Boston during post-season and you will see what I mean. I have never seen so many hate mongers hawking tee-shirts filled with venom as in Boston. Too bad...Beantown is really a lovely place to visit.

Back to the opposing view as to why Tiger Woods should stay away from the Big Apple.

He's a West Coast guy? Not really since Woods already owns digs in Jupiter Island and Windemere.

Traffic? Tourists? Privacy? Perhaps a problem for Tiger Woods as he doesn't like the spotlight but if DeNiro and a host of other celebs learn to live with and handle the pressures of New York living, I'm sure it will be a cinch for the top golfer in the world.

Of course, TMZ would have a field day with this, sending out paparazzi to lurk near the hottest clubs and in front of Woods' new digs for photo opps!

The bottom line is that there is too much time being spent conjecturing on Tiger Woods' private life, whether or not he will take a place in NYC, etc. The media should give Tiger Woods and his family time to pick up the pieces. Let's focus on the golf and hope that Woods makes a comeback for the sake of the game.