TOLEDO, Ohio — Drive, chip, putt. The fundamentals of the game of golf were taught to local kids in the Toledo area on Friday morning at the First Tee golf program at Inverness Golf Club.
First Tee partnered with Folds of Honor, a charity that donates proceeds towards scholarships for children of fallen or severely injured veterans, for the event.
It gave kids an opportunity to learn from one of the best golfers in LPGA history, Nancy Lopez.
Lopez, a frequent visitor of Inverness Golf Club during her time on the LPGA Tour, says that Toledo is always a special place to her to come back to visit.
“It’s great to be back in Toledo,” Lopez said. “It’s been one of my favorites places when I was on the LPGA Tour, the golf fans are tremendous, and the community was so supportive of the LPGA Tour.”
For Lopez, being a teacher of the game of golf, while also being an advocate for the military and their families, has been a mission in her life for a long time.
“It’s amazing to be able to thank them for keeping us free and protecting our country,” Lopez said. “Absolutely, we stand for the flag, and we bleed red, white, and blue.”
The organization, partnered with First Tee for the fifth year in a row to host its annual Patriot Golf Day with the hope of inspiring people to thank veterans and their families for their sacrifices.
“The organization, as I have learned more about them in recent months, is so wonderful,” said Erica Fischbach, a volunteer at the event. “Everything they do for military families is fantastic, so the partnership really worked out well today.”
First Tee hosts many events throughout the course of the summer, and for those interested in learning more about Folds of Honor, you can visit their website at www.foldsofhonor.org.