Augusta National Leads Hurricane Helene Relief with $5M Donation as Community Rebuilds
Augusta National Golf Club Steps Up Relief Efforts After Hurricane Helene's Devastation
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, the deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland in nearly two decades, the Southeast continues to face massive challenges. Towns have been destroyed, many are without power or water, and search and rescue efforts remain ongoing.
In Augusta, Georgia, residents are struggling to secure basic necessities like food, water, and shelter. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited the city as relief efforts intensified. Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters, also issued a statement about the storm’s impact.
"Our Augusta community has suffered catastrophic and historic impact from Hurricane Helene," said Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley.
He added that while assessing the damage to the golf course, the club’s primary focus is on supporting local staff, residents, and businesses.
Speaking later at the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in Japan, Ridley praised Augusta National employees for their efforts to assist the broader community. "Our employees have been heavily involved with relief efforts, including working with the Red Cross and other organizations," Ridley said.
Though the damage to Augusta National remains significant, Ridley reassured that the Masters will proceed as planned in April 2025. Meanwhile, Augusta National has partnered with the Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area to donate $5 million to the Hurricane Helene Community Crisis Fund.
"Our community needs immediate and meaningful assistance," Ridley said in a video statement, urging others to join in the relief efforts.
Subscribe to Premium and get the full Culture of Sport Experience 🏆
In addition to the free newsletter, you will also get:
✅ Subscriber-only posts
✅ Exclusive Golf Chat Feature (NEW)
✅ Access the full Premium archive
✅ Post comments and join the community
Independent sports writing is a big time commitment on top of my day job, so any support is hugely appreciated. For a small contribution, you’ll make a huge difference in me maintaining this newsletter. Psst… It can be a tax write-off too ;)
John Daly Loses Home In Hurricane Helene
John Daly told the PGA Tour that he lost his Florida home during last week’s Hurricane Helene.
The two-time major winner’s property in Clearwater was destroyed by the category-4 storm. On Wednesday, Daly confirmed the stories to the tour’s website, calling the hurricane “devastating, the worst I’ve ever seen.”
“I’m just glad everyone is healthy, that’s the main thing,” Daly told the PGA Tour’s Paul Hodowanic. “You live in Florida, you have to understand that’s going to happen, but not like this. I didn’t think it would be this bad.”
I have a lot of empathy for Daly as I have been in Clearwater for the last 3 weeks and experienced this storm first-hand.
I was based in a mandatory evacuation zone on the barrier islands and had to get out on Wednesday evening before the storm came through on Thursday. Thankfully, I have friends who lived across the bridge and on higher ground where we were safe.
The aftermath has been an experience I won’t forget, from helping people clear their houses, ferrying people across the bay with my friend to check on their properties due to inaccessible roads, and seeing the devastation on people’s faces as they come to terms with their losses.
A huge thank you to the emergency services who have done an incredible job in a short time to bring some semblance of normality to the area.
Thanks for reading, David Skilling
Get featured in a rapidly growing golf newsletter 📈
Baller Golf has a passionate audience who love the game. We have advertising options for golf brands and businesses who want to reach them.
Also, if you’re a golf-related business requiring writing services to grow and engage an audience, feel free to reach out.