John Deere Donates $1 Million to The First Tee

A nice donation but I thought this component was even more interesting:

The $1 million donation will be used to enhance the experience of The First Tee participants in a variety of ways. Besides supporting The First Tee network, funds will be used to create and launch a golf maintenance career- oriented youth development program, in conjunction with the PGA TOUR. Local chapters of The First Tee will partner with the TOUR’s Tournament Player Courses (TPC) to provide the opportunity for high school-aged participants to learn about topics in agronomy and golf course maintenance careers. As a planned extension, participants will also have the chance to experience what it’s like to maintain a TPC golf course during a tournament week.

Comments

[Walt Dropo]

I guess Joe Barrow can by that new Porsche he's been looking at.

[Brad S]

Let em work at a local muni so they see it's not all peaches and cream. The hands on experience and agronomic learning should take place at the local First Tee chapter, which would benefit greatly for any additional labor. Most future employment opportunities will consist of courses with less than $1 million maintenance budgets and lack a fleet of shiny new green turf equipment. I'm all for the experience in prepping and executing a tournament schedule but that is such an outlier as to what we do on a daily basis.

[Tommy Naccarato]

Walt Dropo, I was going to say the same thing myself!

The title of the post should be: John Deere donates 1 Large to Joe Louis Barrow and Hangers On.....

I have seen how the First Tee works, and this whatever they want to call it is a fraud of the highest sense. Mr. Barrow made close to $1 Million dollars in 2011 and then did nothing to help save the Get A Grip Foundation in the depressed area of Norco, California when it lost its funding, despite many pleas and requests from staff to help this productive Golf and Education program.

I'm so sick of First Tee, Golf 20/20 and the NGF for all the supposed good they do, that do NOTHING..... They do nothing but raise money to raise money and profit from it over and over and over again. They do nothing to help the sport.

[Non profit winner]

No profit doesn't mean no profit for those running them

The dirty secret of the False Tee is that local chapters have to raise their own money
Where does the $100 mil go?

[DTF]

Tommy, I tried to look up Barrow's comp in the 990's but could not locate the correct chapter/organization within which he is listed. Do you know the exact name or location of his specific organization?

[non profit winner]

Also tried to find it DTF
Interesting that a non-profit, advertising constantly on tv,
attracting Augusta, ClubCorp, and numerous other well publicized "donors"
is so hard to find?

Something stinks

[Bobby D]

I am a supporter of the Evans Scholars organization out of Chicago...much more effective than the First Tee or other stuff.

[DTF]

non profit winner...maybe I'll just call them up on Monday and ask for the info ;0)

[Amen Coroner]

I think Barrows comp is related to or comes out of the World Golf Foundation in St. Augustine