Ted (right) and Debbie May with John Steinbreder in Morocco in 2019
CoURTESY JOHN STEINBREDER, GGP
Connecticut lost one of its golf icons June 22 with the passing of Edwin H. ‘Ted’ May III. He was 77 years old.
May’s passing happened on the same week of the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship, the tour’s annual stop in the Nutmeg state. May and his wife, Debbie, lived on the TPC River Highlands course where the enormously popular event is played.
May’s father, Ed, helped establish what was originally called the Insurance City Open in the greater Hartford area, creating what has long been among the tour’s most popular stops.
In announcing May’s passing, the Travelers Championship called it “a profound loss for the broader Connecticut golf community.”
A longtime insurance executive, Ted May also founded the First Tee – Connecticut, which is headquartered in Cromwell where the Travelers Championship is played. He was a past chairman of the event and was, for a time, a member of the PGA Tour policy board. May became a member of the Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame in 2014.
May’s influence reached beyond Connecticut, helping to grow the game in other areas, particularly in Morocco where he helped found six First Tee chapters. READ MORE
Topgolf, the popular golf-themed entertainment center, has joined forces with Youth on Course in an initiative designed to connect more young people to the game.
Youth on Course is a non-profit organization that provides access for young people to the game, further enabling one of the fastest growing segments in the golf community.
Beginning July 1 and running through Sept. 3, Youth on Course members and the organization’s alumni members will receive access to Topgolf bays for just $5 Mondays through Thursday from the time the facilities open until noon with the goal of keeping golf clubs in the hands of as many youth as possible.
“Youth is one of the fastest-growing segments in golf, and Topgolf has both the platform and the responsibility to help grow the game,” said David McKillips, Topgolf CEO. “In our effort to create 10 million new golfers by 2030, Youth on Course is an important partner and natural extension of our mission. When young people experience the joy of golf early, they become golfers for life. That’s good for them, good for the industry, and good for the game we all love.”
July is Youth on Course month and the collaboration with Topgolf has the shared goal of expanding access for young members year-round.
“Topgolf is exactly the kind of partner that moves the needle for our members,” said Adam Heieck, Youth on Course CEO. “This isn’t just about affordable access. It’s about showing young golfers that the game is for them. Walking into a Topgolf venue is a great golf and entertainment experience, and now our members and alumni get to be part of it.” READ MORE
Compiled by Ron Green Jr.
