Hey gang, I'm pleased to announce that we met this afternoon with First Tee of Pittsburgh and are working on a partnership deal to support this charity with various financial contributions, equipment, and volunteer time.

While we are still working out the details, the plan will be to create a special link on the front page of GolfGearReview.com whereby 5% of the value of any gear purchased through this link at Golfsmith (who we are also partnering with) will benefit the First Tee foundation. Additionally, we are planning to donate $1 from every review submitted during the month. We are also planning some other contributions, including ball markers and divot tools which Eric Amato, Director of First Tee Pittsburgh, said the kids tend to lose frequently, and also some volunteer time potentially (during tournaments and other events), as well as prizes and giveaways to support these events. Finally, we will also be working to come up with ideas to reward the volunteers of the organization, as these folks donate lots of time and energy to helping kids learn about golf and good values.

Over time, as the site grows, we plan to support the organization at the national level, but decided to support the Pittsburgh branch as that's closest to home.

Just wanted you to all know that your contributions to building GolfGearReview.com are going to benefit kids and the game of golf too, which we all know can only do great things for the community and the sport we all love so much.

All plans are tentative and subject to board approval, but I'm pretty confident we will be moving forward with this initiative. Thanks again to everyone who has helped get us where we are today. Hopefully at one of our future GGR events, we can all sit down and hear about the great work that we helping to support.

For more information about First Tee Pittsburgh, please click on the link below:

The First Tee of Pittsburgh

VERY COOL!

Chris...
You are one dynamic individual...
Plus you have the "MIDAS" touch....This too, will turn to "GOLD"...
You truly are "DA-MAN"...
Selftaughtman

Good luck with this, Chris. There is a First Tee chapter near me (Trenton) that is really disorganized and poorly run. Unfortunately, sometimes volunteers don't have enough time to be effective, so I'm sure whatever you do will be appreciated by them.

Excellent idea!

Thanks guys. Yes, in talking with the guy over at First Tee, it sounds like getting volunteers to spend enough time or help out frequently enough is one of the biggest challenges. Obviously it's going to be difficult for us to, but I think Lori and myself (and anyone that's in the Pittsburgh area is welcome as well) will definitely make some time to help out at tournaments and stuff. Hopefully the donations help too. They also need equipment, and little things like ball markers and divot tools. I guess the kids are always losing them.

He told me they have a ton of golf clubs that have been donated, but they are almost all adult clubs and the bulk of the kids they are working with are 10, 11, and 12.

Anyway, it was a real interesting meeting and I was pretty impressed with the goals of the program and the reach. Lots of opportunity to do some good here, if of course its well supported.