Button Hole

BUTTON HOLE GOLF COURSE & TEACHING CENTER ENRICHES THE LIVES OF YOUNG PEOPLE BY PROVIDING FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT DEVELOP STRONG CHARACTER, TEACH LIFE VALUES AND CHAMPION SUCCESS THROUGH THE GAME OF GOLF.

REGARDLESS OF RACE AND ECONOMIC BACKGROUND, BUTTON HOLE STRIVES TO BREAK THE FINANCIAL AND SOCIAL BARRIERS TO THE GAME OF GOLF.IN 2020 AND PRIOR TO THE COVID PANDEMIC IN MARCH BUTTON HOLE REACHED OUT TO TWO SCHOOLS AND 620 KIDS THROUGH THE LOCAL PROVIDENCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AS A PART OF THEIR PHYSICAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS AND TAUGHT THEM A FOUR-HOUR COURSE TO INTRODUCE THEM TO GOLF. BUTTON HOLE SCHOLARSHIPS ALL COSTS FOR THE IN-SCHOOL INTRODUCTION TO GOLF PROGRAM. ON AVERAGE 70% OF THESE CHILDREN LIVE IN FAMILIES THAT ARE AT OR BELOW POVERTY LEVEL. (INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE PROVIDENCE PUBLIC SCHOOL DEPARTMENT WEBSITE.) THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO INTRODUCE THESE INNER CITY CHILDREN TO THE GAME AND BRING THEM OUT TO THE GOLF COURSE THROUGH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS TO EVENTUALLY GROW THEM AS JUNIOR GOLFERS AND ATHLETES.BUTTON HOLE WAS CLOSED FROM MID-MARCH TO MID-MAY DUE TO A CLUBHOUSE FIRE (MARCH 11TH) AND THE SUBSEQUENT COVID RESTRICTIONS. BUTTON HOLE RESUMED OFFERING YOUTH GOLF PROGRAMS STARTING ON JUNE 29TH AND THE CLASSES WERE WELL ATTENDED THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF SUMMER AND FALL (ALL SAFETY PROTOCOLS WERE FOLLOWED). BUTTON HOLE CONDUCTED A 5-WEEK GOLF PROGRAM FOR 75 BOYS AND GIRLS FROM THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF PAWTUCKET, THIS PROGRAM WAS SPONSORED BY BUTTON HOLE. MANY OF PRIOR YEAR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WERE UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN 2020 DUE TO INDIVIDUAL COVID RESTRICTIONS. IN TOTAL OVER 1,200 KIDS PARTICIPATED IN VARIOUS YOUTH GOLF PROGRAMS AT BUTTON HOLE OR THROUGH OUR IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND OVER 70% WERE PROVIDED "SCHOLARSHIPS AND DID NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LESSONS OR EQUIPMENT. DUE TO COVID SAFETY RESTRICTIONS BUTTON HOLE DID NOT CONDUCT BIWEEKLY VETERANS GOLF CLINICS, HOWEVER VETERANS WERE PERMITTED TO PLAY THE COURSE OR USE THE DRIVING RANGE FOR FREE ON WEDNESDAYS FROM NOON TO 3:00 PM EVERY WEEK. PARTICIPATION WAS TYPICALLY 15-20 VETERANS PER WEEK THROUGHOUT THE GOLF SEASON. THIS OFFERING ALLOWED THE VETERANS TO HAVE A SAFE, SOCIALLY DISTANCED WEEKLY ACTIVITY WHERE THEY ENJOYED BOTH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (WALKING THE COURSE) AND SOCIAL INTERACTION. THE CLUBHOUSE WAS RESTORED BY EARLY DECEMBER 2020, ALL EXPENSES COVERED BY THE INSURANCE POLICY. 2020 WAS A VERY DIFFICULT YEAR BUT THE YOUTH, VETERANS AND GENERAL PUBLIC TRULY ENJOYED AND APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY OR PRACTICE GOLF AT BUTTON HOLE. WE PROVIDED A FULLY ACCESSIBLE, SAFE AND OPEN FACILITY AND PROGRAMS FOR ALL.