Ahead of the Sanford International PGA TOUR event next month, the healthcare system has announced another golf-related partnership. Sanford Health and GreatLIFE are joining together for a variety of sponsorships.
Sanford Health is now sponsoring GreatLIFE Family Tees at the organization’s golf courses. Willow Run—another GreatLIFE golf course—will serve as the home course for the Sanford POWER Golf Academy. GreatLIFE is also sponsoring the Sanford International PGA Tour Champions event in September with a special seating area for members. And both Sanford Wellness Center and GreatLIFE members will receive a 50% discount at Sanford’s year-round Great Shots golf facility.
GreatLIFE chairman and CEO Tom Walsh Sr. believes there are future partnership opportunities with Sanford.
“We’re really focused on giving our community and our families and kids especially a chance to be active, to build stronger relations, and make a difference in their lives,” says Walsh.
Some of the drive behind these partnerships is the idea that golf can be a life-long sport. Two-time US Open Champion Andy North says the facilities coming to Sioux Falls could bring opportunities for younger players to find a love of golf too.
“We’re not trying to make every single youngster a tour player," he explains, "We’re trying to open up their world to golf and give them the opportunity to have some fun, meet some friends, and play a game of a lifetime. And that’s really important.”
Another addition to the upcoming Sanford POWER Golf Academy is PGA Teaching Professional and Sioux Falls native Todd Kolb. The Great Shots facility will house the academy and is expected to open in late 2019.