By Steve Wilke
Metro Detroit golfers will get the opportunity to play two of the area’s premier private clubs this September — and support youth golf at the same time.
The Golf Association of Michigan Foundation is holding its inaugural Youth on Course fundraiser outing at Plum Hollow Country Club in Southfield on Thursday, September 27. The classic 1920-era course — designed by C.H. Alison and Harry S. Colt — is revered for its sweeping elevations and picturesque ravines.
In addition, the 11th Annual ClubCorp Charity Classic at the Jack Nicklaus-designed championship course at TPC Michigan in Dearborn has chosen to support the GAM Foundation and Youth on Course as one of this year’s beneficiaries. The event will be on Friday, September 28. 
The Plum Hollow format will be a Best 2 Ball of 4 with a shotgun start. The event will include breakfast, 18 holes of golf, driving range, cart, and prizes. There will also be a halfway house beverage and snack, plus a drink ticket and lunch after golf. A short program will include a video review of Youth on Course activities to date.
As a special bonus, each participant will be entered into a drawing for a Grand Prize trip for 2 to play golf in Ireland. The trip includes 3 rounds of golf — at Dooks Golf Club, Waterville Golf Links, and Tralee Golf Club — and lodging for 4 nights at the Randles Court in Killarney. (Note: The winner must book and pay for their own airfare.)
The cost per golfer is $200, of which $70 qualifies as a tax-deductible donation to support the Youth on Course program. To register for the Plum Hollow event, contact Steve Wilke at swilke@gam.org. If you can’t attend but would like to donate to the GAM Foundation, visit https://gam.org and click on the Youth on Course tab.
The 11th Annual ClubCorp Charity Classic at TPC Michigan is also supporting the GAM Foundation and Youth on Course.
Each year, ClubCorp, the largest owner and operator of private clubs nationwide, puts on the ClubCorp Charity Classic. Local clubs like TPC Michigan in Dearborn get to choose a local charity to support. This year, they chose Youth on Course. Nationally, the Classic has raised more than $20 million since 2007 to benefit causes like Augie’s Quest to cure ALS.
The TPC Michigan format will be an 18-hole scramble with breakfast, on course beverages, an awards ceremony dinner, and a silent auction. The cost is $200 per golfer and $600 for a foursome. There are also sponsorships available. Visit https://classic.als.net/tpc18 for more information.
The GAM Foundation Youth on Course initiative provides youth with access to affordable golf. Members play golf at hundreds of participating courses nationwide for $5 or less. It costs just $5 to register to be a Youth on Course golfer in Michigan. Some 25 percent of participating golfers are female.
Michigan’s participation in the national Youth on Course continues to grow. As of July 15, the number of youth participants jumped to over 4,000 golfers — up more than 50 percent compared to 2017. The number of participating courses had a similar increase — some 90+ facilities in Michigan now offer young golfers an opportunity to play a round of golf for $5 or less.
Last year, Michigan participants took advantage of more than 3,000 rounds of discounted golf. The goal is to more than double that this season.
The national Youth on Course program is also growing in leaps and bounds. There are currently partnerships in 26 states and discounted golf is available at some 900-plus golf courses nationwide. Visit https://youthoncourse.org/ for more information.
