More than just sport

PROFILE/ Players support a range of charities making golf a noble game

This weekend, golfers across the world will be glued to their TV sets watching what is widely believed to be the best team event in golf.

The best from Europe and America will be putted against each other for the 35th edition of the Ryder Cup. There will be Tiger Woods and Co from the US, while Padraig Harrington will spearhead the European challenge in Detroit.

At the end of three days, one of the two captains, Hal Sutton of the US or Bernhard Langer of Europe, will with his team hold the cup donated by Sam Ryder.

But long before the competition, there will be a set of winners, who may not even wield a club this weekend. They will be the numerous charities and the hundreds of student golfers in American universities supported by the money raised from the Ryder Cup.

On the eve of the 35th edition of the Ryder Cup competition, the PGA of America, on behalf of the 2004 US Ryder Cup Team, donated $2.6 million to charities chosen by the US captain, Sutton, and his 12 players.

The PGA contributed $100,000 per person (on behalf of 13 people, the captain and his 12 players) to a university of their choice and there is an additional $100,000 per person to the charity of the players' choice. That works out $2.6 million besides which another $1.1 million is being raised through community relations programmes that will benefit local charities. The total: $3.7 million.

With the current Ryder Cup contributions the total donated by PGA of America now stands at $7.8 million, and that includes contributions from previous editions in 1999 and 2002.

The fund raising and charities are part of the Golf: For Business and Life Program. The programme targets college juniors, seniors and graduate students and teaches them how to use golf as a business tool in any chosen career and provides them with golf instruction and etiquette. Enjoined with this is "Play Golf America" campaign trying to lure more adult players to the game.

Sutton was quoted on pgatour.com, as saying, "The Golf: For Business and Life Program is a wonderful way to teach college students about the value and impact golf can have in their careers. As players, we are happy with the opportunity to give back and support an initiative like Golf: For Business and Life that ensures golf will continue to be a growing, dynamic game well into the future."

Interestingly, the Golf: For Business and Life Program was established in 1999 at Purdue University and was founded by golf course architect Pete Dye and his wife, Alice, a noted amateur golfer and former member of the PGA of America Board of Directors.

Besides funds from Ryder Cup, there are other fundraisers. A total of 52 universities in America get funds in this manner. Little wonder then the world's best golfers come from the US.

Golf in the US is one of the biggest contributors to charities. Virtually every tournament makes contributions to charities and many players themselves have their own programmes.

Leading players like Phil Mickelson run programmes wherein they personally contribute some money, about $100 for each birdie they shoot through the season. And for an eagle the amount goes up to $500 and their sponsors contribute an equivalent amount. Since top players like Mickelson slot in hundreds of birdies each season, the amount thus raised becomes substantial.

Recently, Vijay Singh after winning the Deutsche Bank title and taking over as No 1 in the world contributed $100,000 for a charity and Tiger Woods has an annual event called Tiger Jam where he raises funds for charities and programmes for the underprivileged children.

It sure makes golf look even nobler, as it not only promotes business, but supports a whole lot of worthy causes.