Kiwis coming to Aiken's First Tee

A pair of globetrotting, golfing New Zealanders will be playing in Aiken on Friday. It's part of their quest to play a round of golf at a different course every day of the year, around the world, to raise awareness - and hopefully money - for The First Tee.

Jamie Patton and Michael Goldstein, the intrepid golfers, fittingly will be playing at Houndslake Country Club, home of The First Tee of Aiken.

"They're traveling to raise exposure of The First Tee," said Elizabeth S. Smith, executive director of The First Tee of Aiken. "They're playing in Hilton Head before coming here. Right now they're travelling along the East Coast."

According to PureGolf2010, the website chronicling Patton and Goldstein's journey, the idea was born out of a desire to be challenged. Both of the men in their early 20s have educations for careers in law. They have put that on hold for their journey which seems to be funded as it moves along.

Their quest began at Kauri Cliffs, a resort in Matauri Bay, New Zealand on Jan. 1. It's scheduled to conclude on Dec. 31 in another New Zealand resort, Cape Kidnappers in Hawke's Bay.

In between, "the Kiwi's," as the duo have been dubbed, will play in four continents. They've already played in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and the Pacific Coast in the U.S. Their story has appeared on the Golf Channel and pgatour.com among other media outlets.

"PureGolf2010, first and foremost, is an adventure," reads an introduction on the website. "It embodies for us the truism that life is too short. Golf every day for a year ... why not?"

There's certainly no need to question the opportunity to play on certain courses included on their itinerary. Some of the courses are historic and many golfers wait their entire lives to take a swing on them.

Thus far, Patton and Goldstein's journey has taken them to Harding Park & The Olympic Club in San Francisco, Spyglass Hill - sister course to Pebble Beach, Riviera Country Club and TPC Sawgrass among other famed locales. 

Future stops include Quail Hollow, Pinehurst, Bethpage Black, Shinnecock Hills and some of Europe's most historic courses in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England.

Friday's stop in Aiken will be day 153 on the journey. The event is open to the public and only requires a $30 donation to The First Tee of Aiken to play. Participants will get to meet the Kiwis and play in the nine-hole scramble scheduled to start at 3 p.m.

Other highlights will include a hot dog and ice cream party, a chance to win prizes and the opportunity to play with local golf professionals. Among those will be Nationwide Tour member Kevin Kisner and Alex Hamilton, of the Tarheel Tour.

Fortunately for the Kiwis, arrangements have been made for them to be fed and spend the night in lodging at Houndslake. That should be slightly more comfortable than their usual accommodations, in the back of "Dodgy." That's the name they've christened for their 1988 Dodge Ram Family Wagon, which their using to traverse the U.S.

The Kiwis' website has a blog with in-depth details of their journey. Smith said she thinks it will be further developed by the end of the journey.

"They'll probably write a book. They're very interesting individuals," Smith said of the New Zealanders she hopes will draw a good turnout. "Several Kiwis live in Aiken. Hopefully they'll come out and support us."

For those who do, their donations will be split between The First Tee of Aiken and the international body. According to the tote board on their website, last updated in mid May, the Kiwis have raised more than $6,000 thus far.

Any money will go a long way in helping The First Tee reach its mission to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through golf.

For more information, call 226-0053 or visit www.thefirstteeaiken.org.

Contact Noah Feit at nfeit@aikenstandard.com.

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