Purely Products BlogResponsible Products for Responsible Living

160 kids decked out in Purely blue t-shirts with a custom Natalie Gulbis Youth Clinic design took over Gettysvue Country Club in Knoxville, Tennessee on a hot Sunday May afternoon to kick off the inaugural Purely Products Golf Classic charity weekend.

Members of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley,  local chapter of The First Tee, Knoxville Challenger Sports and other young golfers from the area turned out for the golf clinic with LPGA Tour Pro and Purely Products spokesperson Natalie Gulbis. The charity weekend benefitted diaperLove, a non-profit providing diapers to children in need, and Boys and Girls  Clubs.

Natalie started off the clinic with a lively Q & A session, answering  any and every question about living her dream as a professional golfer including  far-ranging subjects like “Are you married?” (No. ) “Do you have a boyfriend?” (No.) “Then, are you lonely?” (big burst of laughter, No!) ” How many golf balls do you hit in one day?” (As many as 100, but not all at the same time.) And, just before her first drive of the clinic, “Can you hit a car?”

After answering questions, ‘Miss Natalie,’ as her students called out to her, conducted a golf clinic, demonstrated some power drives and autographed t-shirts and visors. Each child got a copy of group photos taken with Natalie. The afternoon’s events were emceed by Dino Cartwright from Knoxville CBS affiliate, WVLT Volunteer Television who kept the three age groups (9 and under, 10-12 yrs and 13 and over) moving smoothly from golf clinic to putting green contest to driving range practice to Spin and Win competition.

Fourteen local golf pros supported by twenty volunteers from the University of Tennessee Sports Management school made sure that each of the children enjoyed one on one instruction.

After putting in their time on the greens, 160 hot and sweaty kids headed for the country club’s pool to cool off and enjoy hot dogs, chips, sodas and ice cream at a poolside party.

Before heading to their buses, each child was given a Taylor Made Junior golf club, generously donated by Natalie’s golf club sponsor, Taylor Made. Four talented winners  (3 age groups and Challenger group) in the putting competition won a complete set of youth clubs.

It was the perfect kick-off to a charity weekend to benefit children. As one happy mom emailed, “Thank you so much for inviting the kids involved in Challenger Sports to the golf clinic.  My daughter had a WONDERFUL time.  Natalie was so gracious, friendly and a great representative of your company. It was a memorable day  – well-run, fun, and a great opportunity for our daughter (and her family)!”

We are so grateful to everyone involved, especially LPGA Tour Pro Natalie Gulbis, in the inaugural Purely Products Golf Classic to benefit children. We’ll let one of the first emails to come in speak for us.  

“I just wanted to express how impressive Monday’s Purely Products Golf Classic was. It’s been a long time since I’ve had that much fun in a scramble — and I’ve played in quite a few over the last handful of years. I never would have guessed that that event was put together in just a few months. It was well run and had all the amenities one could ask for.

I just wanted to say congratulations on year 1 and hope there are more to come.

Natalie’s involvement was top notch as well. I don’t think you could find a better ambassador. Given her travel schedule and LPGA schedule, she was able to still stay upbeat and work long days with the tournament both days AND still put up with the media! She handled it all with grace and class and made everyone feel like she was glad to see them.   Now I know first hand why you sponsor her.

More photos of Natalie and the event to come! Thank you to everyone for helping us help children in need.