Golfers will tee off around sunrise Saturday at Chandler Park Golf Course in Detroit, chasing a single grueling goal: 100 holes of golf in one day. It's the sixth year First Tee–Greater Detroit has staged the marathon fundraiser, and organizers say the money raised goes straight toward keeping youth golf programs running across four southeast Michigan counties.
An Early Start and a Long Day on the Course
Registration opens with check-in at 6:45 a.m. Oct. 3, according to First Tee–Greater Detroit, with breakfast served between 6:45 and 7:30 a.m. before a 7:30 a.m. shotgun start sends players out onto the course. As The Michigan Chronicle reports, the day includes a lunch break at noon before golfers push to finish by 7 p.m., attempting to complete all 100 holes before darkness ends play.
The event describes itself as the organization's sixth annual 100 Hole Marathon, according to the group's fundraising page hosted on charity.pledgeit.org, which frames the challenge as golf enthusiasts taking on “the formidable challenge to play 100 holes of golf in one day to raise money and awareness” for the nonprofit. The marathon is open to the community through participation, sponsorship and donations, per the Chronicle's reporting, with registration and sponsorship details available on First Tee–Greater Detroit's event page.
Why the Fundraiser Matters for Waitlisted Kids
First Tee–Greater Detroit serves children and teens across Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and now Washtenaw counties, combining golf instruction with a life-skills curriculum designed to help young people build inner strength, self-confidence and resilience, the Chronicle reports. Carl Bently, the organization's CEO, says less than three percent of the group's revenue comes from participant fees, according to the Chronicle, leaving special events and donations to carry most of the financial weight.
That funding gap has real consequences: most of First Tee–Greater Detroit's program locations currently have waitlists, per the Chronicle's account of the organization's operations. Even so, the nonprofit maintains it does not turn away families because of cost, and the marathon's organizers say funds raised Saturday are meant to help the group expand its reach so fewer young people are left waiting for a spot.
A Model Built on Community Events
The pledgeit.org fundraising page underscores the same funding reality, noting that “our program is largely funded through our special events like the 100 Hole Marathon and donors like you.” It's a pattern that has repeated in past years — the organization's fourth annual marathon took place Oct. 5, 2024, at the same Chandler Park course, per an earlier pledgeit.org campaign page, with golfers taking on the identical 100-hole challenge.
Chandler Park Golf Course, located at 12801 Chandler Park Drive in Detroit, is itself one of First Tee–Greater Detroit's program sites, according to the organization's programs page. The marathon is a fundraiser for the nonprofit.
Each contribution to Saturday's marathon, whether through direct participation, sponsorship or donation, supports the organization's broader effort to reach more young people across its service area, the Chronicle notes. Anyone with questions about the event can contact John Page at (313) 261-9886, according to First Tee–Greater Detroit's event listing.
