Golf Gifts from the Masters
Hootie Johnson's last gifts as chair of Augusta National and the Masters go to some exceptionally well-heeled golf-related charities and a local community foundation.
The headlines announce "Masters awards $3.4 million to charity" (ESPN), but of course we have to look behind the scenes to see what's up with the charities close to the heart of outgoing chair Hootie Johnson.
Most of it is simply—golf. The single largest amount, $1 million, goes to "First Tee," a program exposing kids to golf. (The Wal Mart First Tee Open for 13 to 18-year-olds will be held Labor Day Weekend at Pebble Beach.) First Tee is not itself a charity, but it is rather a program of the World Golf Foundation (EIN 592998925 Form 990), which is a charity, a hefty one reporting $37 million in income.
WGF describes itself as a "multifaceted nonprofit corporation," which includes not only First Tee but the World Golf Village in St. Augustine (home of the World Golf Hall of Fame and World Golf Village IMAX® Theater). I don't usually link to charity web sites, but this one is particularly noteworthy in increasing our understanding of how charities operate.
First Tee is organized by chapters associated with local golf courses. Its web site reports 197 active affiliates and a search on "First Tee" in Guidestar turns up 49 charities. We won't be surprised to learn that Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., national director of First Tee, received compensation of $396,562 in 2004.
Others receiving significant contributions from the Masters are other major golf organizations, the First Tee of Augusta, the Tiger Woods Foundation (EIN 06-1468499 Form 990, revenue $8 million) and the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund of the US Golf Association (EIN 13-1427105 Form 990, revenue $124 million).
Then another large contribution ($1.25 million) goes to the Community Foundation of the Central Savannah River Area (EIN 58-2184345 Form 990). As with many community foundations, CFCSRA takes in far more ($4.6 million in 2004) than it distributes ($1.8 million), the balance going into investments. Distributions tend to be relatively small grants ($750 to $2,000) to community groups and churches with a handful of larger grants (e.g. $49,500 to Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church). Generally with a community foundation the donor will be allowed to state their preference, but it isn't obvious which of the various funds represent the Augusta National/Masters gifts over the years.
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