(October 9, 2024) Golfpac Travel / Hidden Links was thrilled to return as a sponsor of the 44th annual charity tournament at Bel-Air Country Club on October 7th to support scholastic golfers with resources, equipment and programs to compete and excel in a sport that promotes character, integrity and fellowship.
FOG (www.friendsofgolf.org) was founded in 1979 by Eddie Merrins and a group of Los Angeles-area golfers supporting student athlete golfers by instilling the values of honesty, ethics, and fellowship with a true appreciation for the game. A non-profit organization FOG has donated over $10 million to both national and local college, high school and other golf-focused organizations and has honored many of the game’s top players over the last four decades including Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo, Annika Sorenstam, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Lorena Ochoa and Collin Morikawa.
Friends of Golf (FOG) is set to honor former LPGA Tour standout and longtime broadcaster Dottie Pepper with The Eddie Merrins Trophy and longtime Board Member Joe Fields with the Ken Venturi ‘Spirit of Giving” Award at its 44th annual charity tournament.
FOG President Peter Best said, “We are thrilled to have Golfpac Travel & Hidden Links back as a sponsor again this year donating a couple of great high-end trips to Scottsdale and Orlando to help us raise money for FOG. Marc and Adam have shown a true commitment the past several years towards supporting many junior golf and scholastic initiatives all over the country. We are truly grateful for their generous support.”
Marc Bender on behalf of Hidden Links and Golfpac Travel where he and Adam Wachter are the Managing Partners said “FOG is a fantastic and highly respected organization that paves the way for aspiring junior golfers to play, compete and excel in the game of golf, regardless of their economic standing. Junior golfers are the future of the game and FOG offers us an ideal platform to help raise money to support their efforts.
This year is particularly special for us as FOG is honoring Joe Fields with the Ken Venturi Spirit of Giving Award. A few years ago, it was Joe who shared with us all the insight into what FOG is all about and does for junior golfers and that was the beginning of our involvement with the organization. We are so thrilled to join Joe at Bel-Air Country Club to congratulate him on receiving this deserving honor.”
ABOUT FRIENDS OF GOLF (FOG)
Originally founded in 1979, FOG has donated over $10 million to both national and Southern California college, high school and non-profit golf-focused organizations. Legendary professional golfer and Bel-Air Country Club teaching pro Eddie Merrins (“The Little Pro”) and a group of Los Angeles-area golfer helped organize FOG’s first annual golf tournament intended to benefit the neighboring UCLA men’s golf program. Since then, FOG has hosted 43 annual charity golf tournaments at Bel-Air Country Club and honored some of the game’s top stars including Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo, Annika Sorenstam, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Lorena Ochoa and Collin Morikawa. FOG supports student athlete golfers by instilling the values of honesty, ethics, and fellowship with a true appreciation for the game. From the time boys and girls enter grade school through the end of their college experience, FOG makes it possible for aspiring junior golfers (irrespective of economic standing) to play, compete and excel in this exceptional sport.
Hidden Links & Golfpac Travel are your #1 source for domestic and international golf travel.
About Hidden Links: Hidden Links is one of the most experienced golf tour operators in the business. With industry leading service, we work with many destinations and countries around the world, specializing in golf tours to Scotland & Ireland. We customize our tours, based on our own collective travel to the destinations that we serve. www.hiddenlinksgolf.com.
About Golfpac Travel: Our domestic destinations have grown steadily to include 14 areas throughout Florida; Charleston, Hilton Head, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Las Vegas, Nevada; Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona; San Diego and Palm Springs, California; Alabama and Williamsburg, Virginia. Each year, Golfpac carefully chooses new and exciting destinations to offer to their wide base of proven golf travelers. Behind our technology stands a caring staff of golf vacation experts who are just a phone call away throughout the booking experience. And, because we’re one of the country’s trusted leaders in golf vacations, we have access to the best deals and industry leading service. www.golfpactravel.com.
Contact: Marc Bender, marcb@golfpactravel.com