Golfing For A Cause | One Swing At A Time

Who?

My name is Dion James Reid and, besides watching the Bengals, Reds, and FCC play, I love to play golf. I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1971, and have lived in San Antonio, Texas, and currently reside in Ft. Thomas, KY.

I didn't play a lot of golf, none really, when I was young, but when I moved to Cincinnati in 1993 , I started to play a little more, as my dad has been playing since he was about 15 years old. He loves golf, and what better way to bond with your dad then with golf (and other sports).
I wasn't able to play with him on a regular basis for a while until I fine tuned my game, but slowly I worked at it and became good enough to play on a regular basis.

For about 15 years we had the first tee time at Crooked Tree Golf Course in Mason, Ohio (it's now closed), but this is where I tuned my game, and began to love the game even more, over the years.

My dad would organize mini-golf trips for his buddies over the years, but as my love for the game took off, I was able to begin to take the trips with my dad and his friends (who are all like surrogate fathers to me). I eventually joined my dad in help running the golf trips and created a system to make there scoring much easier.

We've taken many golf trips (usually twice a year March/April and November/December) to places like Myrtle Beach, Richmond/Williamsburg, Robert Trent Jones Trail, and Pinehurst/SandHills in North Carolina. That's where I really enjoyed the traveling and seeing all the amazingly beautiful courses.

I have personally had the privilege of being able to play some amazing courses on my own time, and sometimes with friends and family, outside of the normal golf trips.

United States

Pinehurst #2

TPC Sawgrass

Hilton Head

Kiawah Island - Ocean Course

Princeville - Hawaii

Pebble Beach and Spyglass (with my dad)

Bandon Dunes Resort - Oregon

Whistling Straits/Irish Straits in Wisconsin

Erin Hills - Wisconsin

Robert Trent Jones Trail - Alabama

Got to go to Monday Practice Round with dad at The Masters

Scotland

St Andrews (Old)

St Andrews (New)

Carnoustie

Turnberry

Troon

Glen Eagles

Kings Barns

What?

Playing golf in all 50 states has been a big item on my bucket list for several years.

Now it's time!

To celebrate my 50th birthday in April 2021, I will begin a golfing road trip across America to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

When?

The start date for this venture will be Thursday, April 29, 2021, when I will play the first round at a course in Tennessee. The finish date will be 50 days later on Thursday, June 17, 2021, when I play my home course of Traditions Golf Club in Hebron, KY

Where?

Click here for the complete list of states, dates, and course as I play across the United States.

Why?

I have lived a fortunate life (some because of luck and some because of hard work), and I want to pay it forward by raising $50,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital by playing a round of golf in each of the 50 states in 50 days at the age of 50.

How To Help?

Visit the Donation page for more information Click Here

What About Hawaii and Alaska?

One of the biggest questions I get asked....."How you doing Hawaii/Alaska?"
Well..."I have plan".
It's official.....I've booked the plane tickets (let's hope COVID doesn't ruin the party).

Play California and drive to Vegas

930am flight to Honolulu (non-stop), arriving aroudn 1:00pm.

Play golf around 230pm-730pm

Return to the airport

1055pm Non-Stop overnight flight to Anchorage

Arrive in Anchorage at 7am

Play golf around 830am-130pm

Return to airport for flight at 330pm

Fly to Vegas (via Seattle)

Arrive in Vegas around 1150pm

Play golf in Vegas (Nevada)

Back on the road

What About COVID?

That's a good question and one that I'm not completely able to answer.
It will depend on State Regulations.

I plan on trying to get the vaccine before I depart, with the hope that it will solve most of the issues.

Playing it by ear at this point.

Have you ever done anything like this before?

Yes, I have done several long road trips with the longest being 16,000 miles in 3 months in 2002.
I've always been good at and enjoy putting together road trips. This is just the icing on the cake.

What about Weather and Mother Nature?

I unfortunately can't control Mother Nature and know if she's going to be kind or mean to me (who can?).

Because of the schedule and the committments to the other courses, I will stay as long as possible to try and get the round it, until I fell it's not feasable.

However, I will attempt to play regardless of the weather (think of Caddyshack).

But if the course is closed, there is nothing I can do, for course/safety reasons.

I will be asking if I can at least hit a drive off the first hole and then I will return (at my own cost) at a later date to play the round as requested as soon as possible.

Why St Jude?

It's about the kids. I'm not married and don't have kids of my own, but I have a niece and nephews and lots and lots of cousins. Kids are so innocent and curious and just want to be like other kids. But sometimes they, and their families, have to deal with things they have no control over. One of those things is CANCER. I just want to help.