Don’t Forget Birdies for Charity

A young, aspiring golfer has come up with a novel new charity initiative.

Toby Graves, 22, from Brighton is pursuing his dream of not only becoming a professional golfer, a status which he achieved last Spring, but to actually make a full-time living from the game.

Toby has spent the last four years at Keiser University, in West Palm Beach, Florida, playing a big part of the men’s golf team success, culminating as runners-up in the NAIA National Finals in 2018. At the same time, he managed to graduate with a BBA in Entertainment and Sports Management.

He said: “I wanted to go to University to further my studies and at the time I was playing for Sussex and studying at Brighton College. A few people I know gained places at various colleges in the U.S., so we looked into it further with the help of ProdreamUSA, a golf scholarship consultancy based in Scotland.  Oli, my twin brother, and I managed to be awarded an academic and golf scholarship at Keiser and we both had the time of our lives at the University.”

Playing college golf at the likes of the Blue Monster at the Doral Trump National, Primm Valley in Las Vegas and their home course, the PGA National (venue for the PGA Honda Classic),was a great test of his golfing ability and prepared Toby for life on tour.

He explained: “I have registered for the Jamega and Europro Tours for 2019, which will be my first full year. Qualifying starts in March and I am currently concentrating on some Winter conditioning training and have been out to Spain recently for some personal coaching and to keep the swing in check.”

But financing the tour commitments is a tough task and Toby has been fortunate to attract some corporate sponsorship with some Sussex-based firms, SO Legal, Antrams accountants and Graves Jenkins. He also came up with an innovative sponsorship deal for businesses who want to support him and help the local children’s charity, The Rockinghorse Charity at the same time.

On July 5th this year, at East Brighton Golf Club, Toby will be hosting a golf day in aid of Rockinghorse as well as raising funds for himself.

Supporting Rockinghorse and working with the local business community is also where the ‘birdies for charity’ idea came about. For every birdie that Toby makes in an official professional golf competition, he splits the pledge with his chosen charity. If need be, the budget pledge can be set in advance. For example, if he plays 10 tournaments, each with three rounds and he manages to make three birdies on each round at say £20 per birdie, both Toby and the charity benefit £900 each.

Ryan Heal, Chief Executive of Rockinghorse, said: “ We’re so grateful to Toby for driving (pardon the pun!) this innovative fundraising challenge. It has 100% been of his own doing and his own passion to support Rockinghorse. We survive on goodwill gestures, like Toby’s, and we’re all excited about seeing the initiative unfold in 2019.”

If you would like to help Toby with his golfing journey and the sick children of Sussex at the same time, please contact Toby Graves at tobygraves@icloud.com or the fundraising team at the Rockinghorse enquiries@rockinghorse.org.uk