Spiderman Hole Can't Get the Best of Young Golfers

Cook Children's Medical Center

May 26, 2010

By John Bush, PGA TOUR Staff

FORT WORTH, Texas—There was the Spiderman hole on the golf course. That was popular. So was the Alice in Wonderland-themed hole. And navigating Cooktropolis on their way to the 18th hole was no bargain for the golfers, either. Fortunately, PGA TOUR players Y.E. Yang, Chad Campbell, Kyle Stanley and Ryan Palmer were there to offer tips on how to putt through construction pipes and around man-made ponds filled with fish in order to get their shots into—are you ready?—bedpans. The makeshift holes were the centerpieces at the annual Bedpan Open at Cook Children’s Medical Center on Tuesday in conjunction with the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

Patients had more challenges than the 121-player field will have at the plush greens of Colonial Country Club this week, some dealing with wheelchairs and IV poles as they playfully made their way around the miniature course. That didn’t stop the kids from smiling, especially when they noticed that one of the “holes” was painted and designed to look like the Batmobile.

The four PGA TOUR pros call the Dallas-Fort Worth area home, and earlier in the day Yang, the reigning PGA Championship winner, presented medical center officials with a $75,000 check, telling those in attendance that as a father of three, he wanted to play a part in helping children in the area.

“I wanted to connect with my adopted hometown of Dallas-Fort Worth, and I also wanted to help out directly to people who might put to use the money best,” said Yang, who came to the event with two of his sons. “I was quite surprised that the Colonial, Crowne Plaza and the Cook Children's Hospital had an annual event lined up, so when they invited me the Bedpan Open, I decided to bring my two older sons to come with me and have fun and make new friends. My kids had a blast, I did too, and I hope the kids at Cook also did.”

“What makes the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial such a special event is the visible support from the professional golfers. Their commitment to spending quality time with our patients is a testament to the character of PGA TOUR players and the fantastic partnership we have with the tournament,” said Gary Cole, vice president of development for the Cook Children’s Health Foundation. “The gifts we receive from golfers like Y.E. Yang is a statement of confidence in all that we do to care for the children of our community.”

The Cook Children’s Medical Center is a national, award-winning, not-for-profit, integrated-delivery organization dedicated to providing quality health care and improving the well-being of children. No child is turned away from Cook Children's regardless of their ability to pay. More than 240,000 children are served in a typical year by Cook, with the hospital providing more than $60 million in uncompensated care.

The Center uses contributions from the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial to pay for that type of care. The Invitational has been at the forefront of the PGA TOUR’s charitable efforts, and last year the tournament raised $5.1 million for Tarrant County Charities. In the past decade, the tournament has generated more than $31 million.

“It really made my day, so much so that for once entering Colonial, I think golf is not as much a priority and something good has already happened this week,” Yang continued. “I already feel like a winner, and I thank all the beautiful children for making me feel so good and letting me be part of their day.”

To learn more or to donate to the Cook Children’s Medical Center, click here