The Valero Texas Open raised $8.4 million for charities in 2007, becoming No. 1 on the PGA TOUR charitable leaderboard for the second year in a row.

Birdies for Charity® is a fundraising program managed by Golf San Antonio to give participating organizations the opportunity to generate contributions through the Valero Texas Open. Funds are generated by soliciting pledges and/or donations from individuals and corporations. 100 percent of the collected pledges are distributed to participating organizations.

Since 1997, the San Antonio Children's Foundation and Golf San Antonio have been committed to making the Birdies for Charity program succeed. In 2007 nearly $1M in total pledges were collected from corporate and individual pledges.
All pledges are based on the number of birdies made Wednesday through Sunday during the Texas Open. In the past the number of birdies made have been:

• 2007 - 2,294
• 2006 - 2,159
• 2005 - 2,531
• 2004 - 2,723
• 2003 - 2,382
• 2002 - 2,490
• 2001 - 2,367
• 2000 - 2,014

The First Tee of San Antonio is one Chapter of a national non-profit youth initiative called The First Tee.  The First Tee was created in 1997 by the World Golf Foundation to provide young people of all ethnic and economic backgrounds an opportunity to develop, through golf and character education, life-enhancing values such as honesty, integrity and sportsmanship. 

By engaging young people in a combination of life skills, leadership and golf activities, they also are exposed to positive traits that will help them achieve success in life.  In the process, participants become valuable assets to their community.  The First Tee Life Skills & Golf Experience is the unique component that sets The First Tee apart from many other successful junior golf programs.

Golf San Antonio operates The First Tee of San Antonio at the Polo Field Driving Range. Please visit our website at: www.thefirstteesanantonio.org

Chip In for Schools is a program initiated by Golf San Antonio to help participating schools to earn money for their school programs by selling advanced tickets to the Valero Texas Open.

 
Tickets to the Valero Texas Open are sold for $10 a ticket through the Chip In for Schools program, which is a great deal compared to the $15 advance tickets $20 at the gate.  Each ticket is good for any one day (Thursday - Sunday). And schools get to keep 100% of what they sell.

San Antonio Golf Association reorganized under the name Golf San Antonio (GSA) to better serve the needs of the south Texas golfing community. Golf San Antonio has a long history of supporting amateur golf and we are proud to be involved with amateur golf tournaments throughout the year.

GSA conducts the following competitions:

• Mid-Am Championship
• Matchplay Championship
• Senior Men's Championship
• Women's Championship
• Junior Championship
• Junior Match Play Championship
• VTO Junior Shootout
• Tournament of Champions
• The Merrill Lynch Corporate Challenge Cup
  

GSA also supports a variety of programs in the city and is expanding its Amateur Golf efforts to include:

• Individual, Golf Course and Corporate Membership Program 
• Regional and/or National Invitational Tournament 
• Junior Golf Teaching Clinics 
• Educational Programs - Rules, History, Etiquette

GSA has affiliated relationships with the PGA TOUR and the United States Golf Association. GSA is also a member of the National Golf Foundation and a variety of local civic organizations.