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Drive Fore Kids: The Celebrity Golf Tournament in Maine You Probably Don't Know About
Most people in Southern Maine have no idea that one of the largest celebrity charity events in the state happens every June at a private country club in Falmouth. That is not an accident. Private clubs do not market to the general public, local news covers it lightly if at all, and the result is a genuine information gap: an event that has raised over $500,000 for sick kids in Maine since 2023, and half the state has never heard of it.
Drive Fore Kids is a celebrity golf tournament held at Falmouth Country Club, presented by Shamrock Sports and Entertainment. It benefits two organizations: the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children's Hospital and the Dempsey Center. The fourth annual event ran June 25 through 28, 2026, and the tournament returns to Falmouth every June, with the fifth annual expected back at the club in late June 2027. Despite the private club setting, most of the weekend is open to the public, so the guide below doubles as a recap of 2026 and a head start on next year. The 2026 event raised more than $210,000 for its two beneficiaries, and former NHL star Joe Pavelski won the celebrity competition, edging two-time defending champion Mardy Fish by a single point.
What actually happens across four days
This is not a single round of golf followed by a rubber chicken dinner. Drive Fore Kids spans four days, and the format matters if you want to get the most out of it when it returns. In 2026 the field ran to 37 celebrities. The pattern repeats year to year, so here is how the weekend works.
Thursday is practice rounds, closed to the public, with the opening party that evening: Par-Tee Fore Purpose at AURA in Portland. This is the most accessible the celebrity field gets all week, in a social setting rather than scattered across 18 holes. It is a separate ticketed event, so you can go to the party even if you cannot commit to the full weekend.
Friday is when gates open to the public, at 9am. Friday is the Celeb-Am, where celebrities are paired with sponsors and guests for morning and afternoon shotgun starts. You can walk the course and follow groups all day.
Saturday is the first round of competitive celebrity play. Gates open at 9am and the celebrities tee off starting at 10am, going out every ten minutes. This is the first day you watch them actually compete rather than play a scramble.
Sunday is the final round, again with a 10am first tee, and it ends with the Champions Ceremony on the 18th green in the late afternoon. Sunday is also Salute to Service, presented by Central Maine Power: active duty military and veterans receive complimentary general admission with valid military ID. If you have never walked a private club course, any of these days is your chance. Falmouth Country Club is one of the best-conditioned courses in the state, and during Drive Fore Kids the grounds are open to general admission ticket holders who want to watch the action.
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The celebrity draw is real
Drive Fore Kids has built a roster that punches well above what you would expect for a charity event in Maine. The 2026 field included NBA Hall of Famer Vince Carter, Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis, Doug Flutie, NHL forward TJ Oshie, Dwight Freeney, 1980 Miracle on Ice captain Mike Eruzione, ESPN's Jay Bilas, Red Sox names Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, and Keith Foulke, former tennis world No. 7 and past Drive Fore Kids champion Mardy Fish, Ronde Barber, Brian Hoyer, pro golfers Blair O'Neal and Sean Malto, and Bachelor franchise stars Joey Graziadei, Wells Adams, and Ben Higgins. Notably, actor Patrick Dempsey plays too, which is fitting given that the Dempsey Center, one of the two beneficiaries, grew out of the cause he founded after his mother's cancer diagnosis.
The celebrity component is not window dressing. These are not people showing up for a photo op and leaving. They play full rounds, interact with fans on the course, and turn up at the evening events. For kids especially, the chance to watch a Hall of Famer or a recognizable actor play golf in person, in their own state, is the kind of thing that sticks.
Where the money goes
The two beneficiaries are not random picks. They represent the two biggest needs for Maine families dealing with pediatric illness and cancer.
The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center handles more than 100,000 patient visits annually. It is the primary pediatric hospital for the entire state, covering cancer treatment, cardiology, neonatal care, and dozens of other specialties. If your child has ever needed serious medical care in Maine, there is a reasonable chance BBCH was involved.
The Dempsey Center, founded by Patrick Dempsey in 2008 after his mother's cancer diagnosis, provides free supportive care to anyone affected by cancer. Not treatment, but everything around treatment: counseling, nutrition guidance, exercise programs, support groups, integrative therapies. They operate locations in Lewiston and South Portland, a hospitality home in Portland, and virtual programming through Dempsey Connects. The word "free" matters. Every service the Dempsey Center provides is available at no cost to patients and their families.
Since launching in 2023, Drive Fore Kids has generated over $500,000 in direct charitable contributions to these two organizations. The 2026 tournament alone raised more than $210,000 in a single year, reported as $105,000 to each beneficiary, presented by Bangor Savings Bank and Mastercard. The broader economic impact, measured by Shamrock Sports and Entertainment, runs north of $4.25 million annually when you factor in hospitality, travel, and local spending across the tournament weekend. That economic activity lands directly in Greater Portland.
How to actually attend
Here is the part that surprises people: you do not need a membership or a connection to attend. General admission passes are available to anyone, and kids 10 and under get in free.
A full tournament pass starts at $50. Daily passes run about $35. Opening party tickets are sold separately. All of it is available through Eventbrite and the official Drive Fore Kids website. For a celebrity charity event at one of Maine's premier private clubs, these prices are remarkably low. Comparable events in Boston or New York charge hundreds.
One logistical note worth knowing before you go: you do not park at the club. Tournament parking is at Falmouth High School (74 Woodville Road), with shuttles running to the grounds. If you take an Uber or Lyft, have it drop you at 1 Congressional Drive.
What to expect on the ground: you will have access to the course to follow groups, fan experience areas with food and drink, and opportunities to interact with celebrities and athletes. The vibe is relaxed. This is not Augusta National with roped-off corridors and silence-please signs. It is a summer weekend in Maine, on a beautiful golf course, with good people raising money for good reasons.
More than 300 volunteers help run the event each year. If you would rather contribute time than money, volunteer registration opens on the Drive Fore Kids website well before the tournament.
Why private club events matter for the community
There is a broader point here that goes beyond one tournament. Private clubs in Southern Maine host charity events, junior programs, community fundraisers, and outreach that the public almost never hears about. The clubs do not publicize them because their marketing, such as it is, targets prospective members. Local media rarely covers them because access is limited. The result is a blind spot: significant community contributions that happen behind gates most people never walk through.
Drive Fore Kids is the highest-profile example, but it is not the only one. When a private club opens its doors for a cause, the combination of venue quality, member network, and organizational infrastructure tends to produce events that raise serious money. The $500,000-plus that Drive Fore Kids has generated is not a coincidence. It is what happens when a first-rate facility and a well-connected community decide to point their resources at a problem.
Go for the golf, go for the celebrities, go for the cause, or go for the excuse to walk one of Maine's best private courses on a June afternoon. Drive Fore Kids is the kind of event that deserves a much bigger audience than it currently has, and it is the easiest way in to the region's charity golf tournaments. Now you know it exists.
The details
Event: 4th Annual Drive Fore Kids Celebrity Golf Tournament (2026 recap) 2026 dates: June 25 to 28, 2026 (now concluded) 2026 result: Raised more than $210,000 for its two charities. Former NHL star Joe Pavelski won the celebrity competition, one point ahead of two-time defending champion Mardy Fish, with Blair O'Neal third Next event: Returns to Falmouth Country Club in late June 2027. Exact dates are announced on driveforekids.com Format: 37 celebrities in 2026. Celeb-Am Friday, competitive rounds Saturday and Sunday, Champions Ceremony Sunday afternoon on the 18th green Location: Falmouth Country Club, Falmouth, Maine Beneficiaries: MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children's Hospital and the Dempsey Center Tickets: Recent years started at $35 (daily) / $50 (full tournament). Kids 10 and under free. Check current-year pricing on the official site Parking: Falmouth High School, 74 Woodville Road, with shuttles to the grounds Military: Salute to Service on the final Sunday, presented by Central Maine Power. Free general admission for active duty military and veterans with valid military ID Info: driveforekids.com
FAQ
What is Drive Fore Kids in Maine?
Drive Fore Kids is an annual celebrity charity golf tournament held at Falmouth Country Club in Falmouth, Maine. It benefits the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children's Hospital and the Dempsey Center. The event features professional athletes, actors, and entertainers playing alongside amateur golfers, with fan experiences and evening events open to the public. It has raised over $500,000 since launching in 2023.
Can the public attend Drive Fore Kids?
Yes. Despite being held at a private country club, Drive Fore Kids sells general admission tickets to the public. A full tournament pass starts at $50, and daily passes are available for about $35. Tickets for the opening party are also sold separately. You do not need a club membership to attend.
How much are tickets to Drive Fore Kids?
General admission daily passes are about $35, and a full tournament pass starts at $50. Kids 10 and under get in free, and active duty military and veterans receive complimentary admission on Sunday with valid military ID. Opening party tickets are sold separately. Passes are available through Eventbrite and the official site, driveforekids.com. For a celebrity charity event at one of Maine's premier private clubs, these prices are low compared to similar events in Boston or New York.
When is Drive Fore Kids?
The 4th Annual Drive Fore Kids was held June 25 through 28, 2026, at Falmouth Country Club in Falmouth, Maine, and has now concluded. The tournament returns every June; the 5th annual is expected back at the club in late June 2027, with exact dates announced on driveforekids.com.
Where is Drive Fore Kids held?
Drive Fore Kids is held at Falmouth Country Club, 1 Congressional Drive, Falmouth, Maine 04105, about 15 minutes north of Portland. You do not park at the club itself: tournament parking is at Falmouth High School, 74 Woodville Road, with shuttles running to the grounds, and rideshare drop-offs go to 1 Congressional Drive.
What charities does Drive Fore Kids support?
Drive Fore Kids supports two Maine organizations: the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children's Hospital, which provides pediatric care including cancer treatment, cardiology, and neonatal services for over 100,000 patient visits per year, and the Dempsey Center, which offers free supportive care services to anyone affected by cancer.
What celebrities played Drive Fore Kids 2026?
The 2026 field of 37 celebrities included NBA Hall of Famer Vince Carter, Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis, Doug Flutie, NHL forward TJ Oshie, Dwight Freeney, Miracle on Ice captain Mike Eruzione, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, Red Sox names Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, and Keith Foulke, past champion and former tennis world No. 7 Mardy Fish, actor Patrick Dempsey, and Bachelor franchise stars Joey Graziadei, Wells Adams, and Ben Higgins, among others. The roster for each year is posted at driveforekids.com.
Who won Drive Fore Kids 2026?
Former NHL star Joe Pavelski won the 2026 celebrity competition at Falmouth Country Club, improving on his runner-up finish the year before. He edged two-time defending champion Mardy Fish by a single point, with pro golfer Blair O'Neal finishing third. The 2026 tournament raised more than $210,000 for the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children's Hospital and the Dempsey Center.
Is there free admission for veterans at Drive Fore Kids?
Yes. Sunday of the tournament weekend is designated as Salute to Service day. Active duty military personnel and veterans receive complimentary general admission with valid military ID or credentials.
How can I volunteer at Drive Fore Kids?
Drive Fore Kids relies on more than 300 volunteers each year. Volunteer registration is available on the official website at driveforekids.com. Positions fill up, so registering early is recommended.
Where do you park for Drive Fore Kids?
Tournament parking is at Falmouth High School, 74 Woodville Road in Falmouth, with shuttles running to the tournament grounds. You do not park at the club itself. Rideshare drop-offs by Uber and Lyft go to 1 Congressional Drive, Falmouth.