The Club at Lost Lake in Hobe Sound will host its first-ever Tee It Up for the Troops tournament on Wednesday, November 11, pairing local veterans with golfers in a daylong event meant to raise money for veteran and military family programs. Registration and breakfast begin at 7 a.m., followed by an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start and a luncheon at 1 p.m.
According to Chris LaRocque, the nonprofit's president and executive director, a golf foursome costs $2,500 and includes the round, breakfast and luncheon for four players. A separate account from WPEC/CBS12 listed registration at $750 per player; the two figures were not reconciled. LaRocque, who serves as a logistics officer in the Army Reserves, said veterans paired with foursomes will play for free, and he has described the cause as close to his heart.
A networking dinner and auction is set for the evening before, Tuesday, November 10, running from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The tournament will pair golfers directly with local veterans, and proceeds are designated for local Florida veteran service organizations as well as national Tee It Up for the Troops programs, the organization says.
Where the Money Goes
Funds raised are slated to support housing, treatment for PTSD and traumatic brain injuries, suicide prevention, employment assistance and caregiver support, per the organization. The group also points to its REUNION program, which brings combat veterans back together with the people they served alongside. Part of the tournament's proceeds will also go toward PGA HOPE South Florida, a free golf program for veterans and active-duty service members.
PGA HOPE South Florida runs six-week sessions made up of two-hour classes at no cost to participants, open to any veteran or active-duty member, according to the South Florida PGA Section. The region hosts 22 PGA HOPE programs offering more than 35 opportunities each year. The VA News describes PGA HOPE broadly as a free program led by PGA professionals trained in adaptive golf and military cultural competency, aimed at supporting veterans' physical, mental, social and emotional well-being.
A National Organization With a Long Track Record
Tee It Up for the Troops says it has deployed more than $20 million in direct support of veterans and military families since 2005. The organization's own figures put the number of veterans served at more than 380,000, with more than 400 people reunited through its REUNION program — though the earlier WPEC/CBS12 report attributed a figure of more than 400,000 veterans served to LaRocque. LaRocque became the nonprofit's president and executive director earlier this year, according to a post on teeitupforthetroops.org.
Similar chapter events elsewhere show the scale this kind of fundraiser can reach. In Peoria, the Central Illinois chapter's 17th annual outing drew about 240 golfers — 120 veterans and 120 sponsor players — and raised almost $100,000, according to 25 News Now. That chapter has previously distributed $49,000 to six local charities and has raised more than $1 million for veterans' organizations over the years. In Rochester, a Tee It Up for the Troops event at Willow Creek Golf Course drew veterans, military families and community members together, KAAL-TV reported.
South Florida's History With Veteran Golf Fundraising
South Florida has hosted veteran-focused golf fundraisers before. The fifth annual PGA HOPE Classic at The Loxahatchee Club in Jupiter brought together more than 95 amateur golfers from Palm Beach County and raised $73,000 for the South Florida PGA Foundation's PGA HOPE program, according to the South Florida PGA Section. The Hobe Sound event marks the first time Tee It Up for the Troops has brought its Veterans Day tournament to The Club at Lost Lake, located at 8300 SE Fazio Drive.
