WINNIPEG — Many golfers, professional or otherwise, have walked the fairways of Pine Ridge Golf Course. But this week, the course played host to dozens of inner-city kids who were not only exposed to the game, but got a chance to watch a ball hockey game between past NHL stars and up-and-coming professional golfers.
The day was made possible through The Players Cup tournament held at Pine Ridge, after they created their own charitable arm, The Play Through Foundation.
So far, more than $350,000 have been handed out to local charities since 2010. This year, 100 per cent of the net proceeds from the tournament will go to support the foundation.
The primary partners that will receive funding this year are the SSCY Centre (Specialized Services for Children and Youth) and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg.
“The Play Through Foundation will benefit kids in Winnipeg’s inner city, and different kids’ initiatives each year,” said Ryan Hart, president of MF1 Marketing. “The tour always talks about, we play golf one week a year but there’s 51 other weeks we’d like to make a lasting impact, and we’d like to build on that.”
For many kids, it’s their first time at a golf course, something many wouldn’t be able to experience if it wasn’t for the Girls and Boys Clubs of Winnipeg.
“The issue for our kids is access,” says Ron Brown, president and CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg. “Transportation and access, learning the game, equipment costs — all of those are barriers.”
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