Bellinghamgolfer.com

Combine 27 young golfers with holes bordered by wooden train tracks, swinging spiders knocking putts off-line, and an assortment of other unconventional hazards and you have a recipe for an awful lot of fun. Sure enough, yesterday's Putt-A-Thon at Lake Padden, held to raise funds for the course's First Tee program, was an absolute blast. A total of 58 people (parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers as well as the First Tee students) spent one hour playing holes that First Tee Coach (and Lake Padden PGA instructor) Phil Gaggero had spent several hours 'building' and which went by names like 'Royal Rescue', 'Skate Park', 'Beach Party', 'Tube Time', and my favorite 'Spider's Web' in which a large, furry spider suspended over the hole by a long black cord was swung back and forth challenging putters to time their effort just so.
The Participants, sponsored by friends and family at a flat rate or amount per hole completed, raised a total of $1,223.50, a figure doubled by the Director of the First Tee of North Puget Sound (of which Lake Padden is an affiliate) Jeff Cornish, and then rounded up to a grand total of $2,500. Cornish made the announcement as the kids tucked into hot dogs and ice cream sandwiches on the patio following the golf. "This was a fantastic afternoon and I shall be using this as a model for future events at my own chapter," he added. "I knew Phil would be a good First Tee coach and this just proves it. I shall be recommending this to the national office."
For his part, Gaggero was very pleased with his program's first fundraiser. "I didn't really know what to expect, but was hoping we might reach four figures," he said. "To finish with $2,500 is fantastic. We will use the money to buy equipment for the classes, and offer scholarships."
Click here for the Lake Padden First Tee page to learn about the program and check out the schedule.