Minnesota Vikings punter Jeff Locke joined 15 others and played a combined total of 190 hours of golf in the Longest Day of Golf for the Troops but the lasting memories won’t be a perfect shot or the numbers on the scorecards for the 1300-hole outing.
“The best part of the day for me was being able to switch groups and interact with the veterans,” Locke said. “It was so much fun playing with them and hearing their stories of what “Tee It Up for the Troops” has done for them coming back from overseas or from their service.”
A total of 16 golfers, veterans and veteran supporters, teed off just before 6:45 a.m. and raised more than $12,000 (and counting) for Tee It Up for the Troops!
Participants and volunteers were treated to a wonderful lunch on the go courtesy of participant, Marc Spiros and HoneyBaked Ham. The local HoneyBaked Ham stores in the Minneapolis / St Paul area wanted to give back to the communities by supporting and getting involved in the communities in which they work. We are delighted that they chose Tee it up for the Troops to honor those who have provided the freedom we all enjoy.
Tee It Up for the Troops is a cause near and dear to many including Locke, whose father, Bob, was an Air Force pilot for 20-plus years. Jeff Locke was born at a military hospital in Frankfurt, Germany, and has other military ties in his family.
“Jeff (and so many others) understands the service and sacrifice that goes into the military lifestyle,” said Tim Wegscheid, the president of Tee It Up for the Troops. “He’s a great guy and has a big heart for serving our military families,” he added.
“He doesn’t do it for the fame,” SGT Ngo said. “He does it because he knows that if it wasn’t for the men and women that serve this country, we wouldn’t have the freedoms we have.”
![FullSizeRender[1]](http://www.teeitupforthetroops.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/FullSizeRender1.jpg)
(Video produced by Eric Smith, MN Vikings Team Reporter.)
