3rd annual Tito’s Shorties Classic There’s a new spin on the fun pitch and putt charity event. They were playing a nine-hole Tito’s Texas Team Skins game and were filmed at Butler Pitch and Putt in downtown Austin, Texas.
There will be three teams, but it won’t be like before. This time, three of his PGA Tour pros team up with Bob Does Sports social media personality to give fans a fun start to WM Phoenix Open Week.
Joel Damen, Harry Higgs and Keith Mitchell will each have a partner as they play for a respected charity.
Higgs is partnered with Nick Stubbe, also known as Fat Perez. Mitchell and Robbie Berger are a pair. Damen joins Joesph Demer, aka Joey Cold Cuts, to complete the trio.
This will be Damen’s third time competing in the Tito’s Shorty’s Classic.
Play Through had an exclusive interview with the PGA Tour winner to discuss how he and Joey Cold Cutts are ready to compete.
“I was a big fan of theirs. [Bob Does Sports] Add Harry Higgs and Keith Mitchell to the situation and it’s always going to be a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone. ”
This must be watched on TV.
“I know Cold Cutts is known for having meltdowns from time to time, but maybe it’s his antics as well,” Dahmen said. “Maybe not the strongest golfer in the crew. I know Fat Perez is a very good player. So we need a lot of trash talk on our side. I think there is. We’re going to have to bring the vibe.”
Each team will raise money for a charity selected by the PGA Tour professional. Higgs and Fat Perez’s charity is the For the Kids Foundation. Mitchell and Berger will play for the Nantz National Alzheimer Center, and Damen and Cold Katz will play for the Damen Family Foundation.
Joel Damen gives back to the game that gave him everything
The former Washington Huskies established the foundation in January 2023.
“The game of golf has given me and my family so much that now I have a platform and I wanted to give back,” Damen said. “Golf has given me everything so it’s a way to give back and hopefully grow it as well.”
They are raising money for two purposes. It’s a donation to junior golf and cancer research.
“We’re going to give back to the juniors who need help with equipment and getting into tournaments. We’re going to help local high schools, we’re going to help high schools in the area where I grew up,” Dahmen explained. “Please donate generously to cancer research and we will fight cancer and support families with special needs.”
It’s obviously something very personal for the 36-year-old.
When he was in high school, Damen’s mother, Jolynn, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately for her she died a year later. But this ugly disease that affects everyone is not over with him.
Six years later, Damen himself was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He spoke candidly about that difficult time and detailed the new perspective he gained about his life. Thankfully, he overcame his illness and now gives back to those in need through events such as Tito’s His Shorty’s Classic.
Tito’s Shorties Classic Format
Damen and Cold Cutts are playing for the lion’s share of $350,000. If someone makes a hole-in-one, he may also be awarded an additional $100,000 prize.
First place will receive a donation of $200,000, second place will receive $100,000 and third place will receive a donation of $50,000. This is my biggest purse since I started Tito’s Shorties Classic.
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They are playing in a skin game format for their third annual event. Holes 1-2 are worth 1 skin per hole. The third and his fourth holes are worth two skins. Holes 5-6 are worth 3 skins each, 7-8 are worth 4 skins each, and the 9th is worth 5 skins.
The Damen Family Foundation is just over a year old, but any donation helps. So at least he takes home $50,000, or over $300,000, which is a huge amount of money for them.
“In our first year, we were able to raise money for the family foundation, which will be a significant contribution,” Damen said. “That $200,000 is going to go a long way. It’s going to mean a lot to me and my wife.”
Joel Dahmen encourages you to have fun and grow your game
Damen’s motto is to have fun, and he wants to participate in events like this because he wants to show people that golf is for everyone.
He knows how robotic tour players can come across when playing in tournaments, so playing in tournaments like this allows fans to see more of the players’ personalities. can.
“The game of golf is really fun. I love playing with my friends,” Damen said. “I think it’s a good way to have fun playing golf and make a lot of money for charity.”
“Let the world… know that we like to have fun too. We can have a few drinks. We listen to music. We… We’re like golfers who spend their weekends at home outside of tour events. This is what we do, and we think it’s really fun, too.”
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He is passionate about the growth of golf. As a sport that has thrived through the pandemic, Dahmen wants everyone to know that golf doesn’t have to be traditional and formal.
“This brings in a broader audience,” Damen said. “We’re trying to get a younger group involved. It’s held at Butler Pitch and Putt in Austin, so it’s just a fun little environment. It’s a par-3 golf course. Anyone can play and it’s accessible. It’s also good.”
Being held on a par-3 course also allows fans to see a different element of the game. These courses are suitable for everyone.
“It’s cheaper than going to a big, fancy club like this and it’s cheaper than a regular round of golf,” he said. “We’re introducing a younger, more fun version of, ‘Golf is affordable. Golf is fun.'” With golf, he can play a round in an hour. That is wonderful. He doesn’t have to spend 4-5 hours or hundreds of dollars to play golf. There are other ways to do it that are more fun and more accessible to everyone. ”
The 3rd Annual Tito’s Shorty’s Classic will be broadcast on Golf Channel on February 6th at 10:30pm ET. Check out the action as Harry Leadbetter joins the group to provide commentary and share the joy of golf with the world.
Savannah Lee Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through.For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough On all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirls and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
