David Pillsbury and Eric Affeldt - April 4, 2012

• By Morning Drive Team
• Apr 4, 2012 8:35 AM ET

Pillsbury is the President of PGA TOUR Golf Course Properties and Affeldt is the CEO of ClubCorp. Both companies are teaming up this spring to host a series of fundraising events for The First Tee as over 100 private courses will open their doors to non-members in the “Tee it Up” initiative.

After thanking Golf Channel for its involvement with The First Tee as its media partner, Pillsbury said the initiative creates opportunities for non-members to play courses that they would not otherwise be able to play and the money raised from those rounds will go to help The First Tee. For more information, go to www.thefirsttee.org/campaign.

The kids that participate in The First Tee tend to stay in The First Tee as the retention rate is very high. The First Tee is not only about golf but it is also about life skills. The kids who are involved tend to stay in school and the kids learn that The First Tee is not only about the game of golf, it is about the game of life as well as the lessons learned in both will stay with these kids for the rest of their lives.

Affeldt said that The First Tee is working with Golf Channel and the PGA TOUR as well as all of the local chapters of The First Tee to spread  the word that over 100 private courses are opening their doors to non-members and over 2,000 tee times will be available as part of this initiative. GolfNow.com is also involved as the tee time service provider.