Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. – BallenIsles Country Club General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Ryan Walls and Director of Golf Jeff Fitzherbert played a combined 272 holes of golf on Tuesday, September 12th to raise funds for the First Tee of the Palm Beaches. Walls and Fitzherbert were participating in the 8th Annual 100 Hole Challenge Golf Marathon held at Medalist Golf Club and raised more than $20,000 for the First Tee of the Palm Beaches through BallenIsles’ member donations and pledges. In 2022, the duo raised more than $23,995 for the First Tee of the Palm Beaches, playing a combined 260 holes of golf. In 2021, the duo raised more than $17,500 and in 2020, they raised $15,000.
For this year’s 100 Hole Challenge Golf Marathon, Walls and Fitzherbert played 136 holes each, over six hours.
“We had a lot of fun this year on a nice sunny day, so we decided to go for our holes played record and completed a total of 136 holes each, for our all-time best of 272 combined. We think we got our summer golf in,” said Walls. “Many thanks to the organizers of this great event and especially those who guide the First Tee of the Palm Beaches, a program both Jeff and I are real believers in, as are our members who provide wonderful support each year. Much appreciation, as well, to the members and staff from Medalist Golf Club for making the course available to us for the day.”
While their 100 Hole Challenge is complete, Walls and Fitzherbert hope to continue to collect donations for the First Tee of the Palm Beaches through the month of September as the fundraiser website is still accepting contributions. For more information on the First Tee of the Palm Beaches and their 100 Hole Challenge Golf Marathon, visit https://secure.givelively.org//donate/childrens-golf-foundation-inc/first-tee-palm-beaches-100-hole-challenge-2023/ballenisles-country-club-0.
For more information on BallenIsles Country Club, visit www.BallenIsles.org.
ABOUT BALLENISLES COUNTRY CLUB:
In 1963 legendary Florida developer John D. MacArthur and the PGA of America teamed up with golf course architects Dick Wilson and Joe Lee to design a championship-caliber golf facility. Over the next ten years, BallenIsles, then called PGA National Golf Club, hosted numerous major tournaments like the PGA Championship and PGA Seniors Championship and was home for the Professional Golfers’ Association of America. The Club was also the host site for the original PGA TOUR Qualifying School and held the inaugural PGA Merchandise Show. When the MacArthur/PGA of America agreement expired in 1973, the Club was renamed the JDM Country Club for John D. MacArthur. For the next 15 years, the prestigious local country club hosted many celebrities and professional golfers and staged many events on the three golf courses on the property. In 1988, the three golf courses and surrounding property were sold by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and renamed BallenIsles Country Club. A multi-year and multimillion dollar plan to develop a private country club community was unveiled. Since the early 2000’s, BallenIsles Country Club has been consistently ranked as one of the Top 100 Clubs in America.
A $35 million clubhouse renovation was completed in November 2018, featuring 115,000 square feet of luxurious space; three championship courses with 54 holes of golf; a world-class 21-court tennis and 9-court pickleball complex; and a state-of-the-art Sports Complex with a full-service Cosmo & Company salon and spa, fitness center, Pilates & group exercise studios and resort-style swimming pool.
The recent $9.3 million golf enhancements to the East Course by Nicklaus Design, practice grounds and ‘71 Golf Learning Center follow the construction of a $1.3 million pickleball complex in 2021; and the 2020 redesign of BallenIsles’ South Course by famed golf course architect Rees Jones. The Club also recently announced a $19 million renovation and expansion project of the Club’s existing Sports Complex. Construction is underway with project completion slated by the end of 2024. For more information visit www.BallenIsles.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Becky Collison
BallenIsles Country Club
Director of Marketing & Communication
561.249.5818
bcollison@Ballenisles.org
