Golf classic for the classroom

Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce

Golf FORE Education Classic 

Tuesday, Sept. 9

Bent Brook Golf Club

For 25 years, the Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce has been funding education through the swing of a golf club. 

The chamber’s annual Golf FORE Education Classic is an important fundraiser for workforce development programs in Shelby County Schools. One of these projects is the Keeping It Real Program, which is designed to teach ninth graders about education and earning potential, budgets, cost of living and managing real world expenses such as utility bills and groceries. The chamber is also sponsoring a Career Awareness Fair for the first time in 2015. Through these programs, the chamber hopes to build a productive and successful Shelby County workforce.

This year’s classic will be held at Bent Brook Golf Club in Bessemer on Tuesday, Sept. 9. Chamber director of communications Lisa Shapiro said the chamber’s goal is 25 teams of four people, including chamber members and others in the community. The classic is a “scramble” and there will be prizes for the longest drive, closest to the pin and a putting contest.

“It’s a way for folks to have a good time out on the golf course, but to raise those funds,” Shapiro said.

Shapiro said there are also ways to get involved without picking up a club or golf ball. Companies can sponsor tees on the course for $200 and have onsite representatives to talk to golfers, do promotions and participate in the breakfast and lunch.

This year’s Golf FORE Education Classic is sponsored by HealthSouth Lakeshore Rehabilitation Hospital. The entry fee is $600 per team or $150 per individual, which covers breakfast and lunch, greens fees, a cart, a mulligan and two drink tickets per person. Registration begins at 8:15 a.m. and the classic begins with a shotgun start at 9 a.m.

To learn more about participating or sponsoring the classic, contact Melanie Goodwin at melanie@shelbychamber.org or by calling 663-4542 ext. 102.