Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Featured on this week’s edition of Around Atlanta is the Greater Gwinnett Championship, a stop on the PGA Champions Tour held at TPC Sugarloaf. Taking place now through Sunday, April 19, the tournament is in its third year. Stan Hall, the executive director of the Gwinnett Sports Commission, is on hand to discuss the exciting event.
The Gwinnett Sports Commission was created to bring any and all sporting events to Gwinnett County and the metro Atlanta area. Among other things, the organization owns and controls Coolray Field and is responsible for bringing the Atlanta Braves organization to Gwinnett County, and it has partnered with many other organizations, including the NCAA and SEC, to bring events to the county.
One of its missions was to bring professional golf back to metro Atlanta after the Bellsouth/AT&T Classic left. It was able to do just that in 2013 with the inaugural Greater Gwinnett Championship. Held at Sugarloaf Country Club’s TPC course, the event is now in its third year with competition taking place Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 19.
Perhaps one of the most unique aspects of the PGA Tour is its charitable giving. Each tournament operates as a nonprofit organization and gives back to local charities. In fact, if you combined the charitable giving of all of the professional sports organizations in the country, it wouldn’t equal the amount of donations made by the PGA Tour!
This year’s tournament beneficiaries are Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the Concussion Institute at Gwinnett Medical Center. The tournament’s sole purpose, besides bringing the game of golf to metro Atlanta, is to be able to give back.
The tournament hosts a variety of events throughout the week to encourage giving and fun, including the Novelis Challenge. Taking place this Saturday, the event pairs three sports celebrities who play a round during the professional competition. Each celebrity represents a branch of the Aflac Cancer Center in Atlanta, and this year’s participants are John Smoltz, Steve Bartkowski and Kevin Butler.
Other events include Saturday’s Kids Day, with fun and entertainment for the entire family. In addition, Mellow Mushroom has signed on as a sponsor this year and will host a Chill Club on the 16th green. Finally, QuickTrip will host a Patriots’ Outpost on the 18th green designed to honor our nation’s true heroes, veterans.
With a $2 million purse at stake and some of golf’s greatest champions on hand, including defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez, this will be an exciting event for the entire family. To learn more about the Greater Gwinnett Championship, including how to purchase tickets, visit www.GreaterGwinnettChampionship.com.
For general information about sports in Gwinnett County, visit www.GwinnettSportsCommission.com.
___________________________________________________________
The “Around Atlanta” segment is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact 770-383-3360.
Please download and subscribe to all of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcasts on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.