Brothers Heath (Left) and Drew Ekstrom will be out to play a little golf on Sept. 8 in an effort to raise money for Folds of Honor. If they succeed, they will play 120 (or more) holes of golf in one day. Photo courtesy of Heath Ekstrom
On Sunday, September 8, PGA Head Professional Heath Ekstrom and his brother and fellow PGA Professional Member Drew Ekstrom are challenging themselves as part of the Folds of Honor’s “100-Hole Challenge” to celebrate Patriot Golf Day, the largest grassroots golf fundraiser benefiting Folds of Honor, a nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to children and spouses of fallen and disabled veterans.
This is Superior National at Lutsen’s fourth year of the fundraising efforts that Heath and Drew are taking part of. “I’m very excited and a little nervous at the same times to challenge us again to golf this many holes of golf in one day.” stated Heath. He went on to say, “Last year was the first time Drew and I did this together and we got in 108 holes. This year we plan on stepping it up with some new tactics to get around quicker and hopefully get in 120 plus holes…if our bodies hold up.”
Major Dan Rooney, a PGA Professional and former F-16 pilot for the Oklahoma Air National Guard who founded Folds of Honor launched patriot Golf Day in 2007. The PGA of America and the United States Golf Association jointly support the Patriot Golf Day campaign. Over the last eleven years, golfers nationwide have been instrumental in raising donations through Patriot Golf Day events, resulting in nearly 20,000 scholarships to Folds of Honor recipients in all 50 states and 41 PGA sections.
This summer Superior National at Lutsen doubled its efforts and had its inaugural “George Nelson, Jr. – Challenge Cup” this past June.
“George was in World War II enlisted in the infamous 10th Mountain Division that fought in the mountains on skis,” said Heath. “He and his family donated the land to Cook County in order for Superior National to be built. I wanted to honor him and felt tying The Folds of Honor and the 10th Mountain Division together in an event that everyone can play and have fun is a way to do just that.”
Heath went on the say that the event was a success and it is planned for 2020 where the public can participate. To find out more go to www.superiornational.com/ events/
Superior National at Lutsen will be one of hundreds of facilities that are registered to host 2019 Patriot Golf Day events nationwide. A full list of participating golf courses can be found at www.patriotgolfday.org. Non-golfers can also participate by donating to the mission at www.foldsofhonor.org.
About Folds of Honor
Folds of Honor is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization, rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator and platinum on Guide Star, that provides educational scholarships to the families of military men and women who have fallen or been disabled while on active duty in the United States armed forces. Our educational scholarships support private educational tuition and tutoring for children in grades K-12, as well as higher education tuition assistance for spouses and dependents.
Founded in 2007 by Major Dan Rooney, a PGA Professional and F-16 fighter pilot in the Air Force Reserves who served three tours of duty in Iraq, the Folds of Honor is proud to have awarded nearly 20,000 scholarships in all 50 states and some U.S. territories, including approximately 4,000 in 2018 alone. For more information or to donate in support of a Folds of Honor scholarship, please visit foldsofonor.org.
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