Golfers in Tellico Village will soon have a chance to help victims of recent Sevier County fires and also improve their golf game.

Tellico Village’s golf professional staff will hold “Swing Fore Sevier County” 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Toqua Golf Club, offering 30-minute golf lessons for a minimum $50 donation.

“In the day or so after all that news broke we were all trying to figure out different ways we could contribute to that effort, and the golf pros came up with that idea, which is a great idea,” John Cherry, public relations manager for the Tellico Village Property Owners Association, said. “... A lot of people try to figure out how they can help. They want to be part of the recovery effort, and so this is one way that Villagers can do that. There are so many ways that people can help out and this is just one way our golf department is trying to help out.”


Jim West, director of golf for Tellico Village, came up with the idea brainstorming on his commute.

“To be honest with you, it came to me driving to work one day,” he said. “I just got to thinking what could we do to use golf to provide financial support for these victims, and that came to mind. I’ve got about a 40-minute drive and had some time to brainstorm for myself.”

After arriving at work, West shared the idea with the other golf professionals on staff and was met with a unanimous willingness to help.

“I’m proud to say that every one of them immediately said, ‘Yes I want to help’,” West said.

Appointments are being taken first-come, first-serve for the event Saturday at the Toqua club house with a good early response, West said.

“The weather for this coming Saturday is not good,” West said. “It’s a high in the 30s, but we still have a lot of people that have signed up.”

Some that aren’t interested in taking a lesson or don’t want to take a lesson in the cold weather have made donations toward the effort without signing up.

“That’s just indicative of the generosity of our members,” West said.

The timing of the event has some positives, with many golfers already planning to work on their game during the colder months.

“Winter is a time when a lot of people try to work on their game because they don’t get to play as much, but maybe they can get a lesson or a tip they can work on over the winter,” Cherry said.

But there are some drawbacks, especially in the quick turnaround from announcing the event to holding lessons.

“It’s such an incredibly horrible disaster, and time is of short supply in trying to raise money,” West said. “I wish this was something we could have advertised 60 days ago, but unfortunately these people need money now and we’re just trying to raise as much as we can. If we raised $1,000 from this I would be ecstatic.”

Golfers can reach out to any of the golf professionals on staff with questions about the lessons, West said. If weather is a major deterrent, the staff will also be willing to work with those interested in signing up.

“I’m going to offer them an opportunity to take that lesson some time between now and spring if they don’t want to come out,” West said.

All of the money raised through the Swing Fore Sevier County will be donated to the American Red Cross recovery efforts in Sevier County.