It’s yet another way Arnold Palmer legacy will live on and in the process, give back to the game of golf.
On Friday, on what would’ve been Palmer’s 92nd birthday, more than 150 people took part in a dedication of the Arnold Palmer Learning Center in Pittsburgh. Palmer was born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, about an hour east of Pittsburgh.
“As we celebrate our 20th anniversary in Pittsburgh, our mission continues to focus on building game changers out of today’s young men and women by helping them develop life skills and abilities that build character, instill core values and promote healthy choices,” said First Tee Pittsburgh president and CEO said. “The Arnold Palmer Learning Center is the crown jewel of this effort and will help us augment our work with more than 5,000 kids every year.”
First Tee Pittsburgh opened the Arnold Palmer Learning Center on Sept. 10, 2021, on what would have been Palmer’s 92nd birthday. Photo by First Tee Pittsburgh
The dedication took place at Schenley Park at the Bob O’Connor Golf Course. On Saturday, a Tee It Forward family event offering kids a chance to swing their clubs in a long-drive contest, a closest-to-the-pin contest, a chipping clinic and a putting contest. Raffles to win a trip to Pebble Beach was also part of the attraction.
The 14,000-square foot Arnold Palmer Learning Center was funded by private and public donations, which included support from the Arnold and Winnie Palmer Foundation.
Amenities include golf stimulators, indoor training classrooms and accommodations for corporate and community events.