Skylar Friedman, a 17‑year‑old from Long Island, is turning his love of golf into a life‑changing fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. After a life‑saving lung operation as an infant, the teen feels it’s his duty to give back—and he’s doing it one putt at a time.
A hole‑in‑one that raises money
Friedman shot a hole‑in‑one that kicked off a national fundraising effort called the “100 Putt Challenge.” The idea is simple: golfers pledge a dollar amount for every successful 6‑ft putt they hit out of 100. If someone pledges $2 per putt and sinks 80, they raise $160 for a good cause. The challenge can be played anywhere – on a fairway, in a living room, even on an airplane cabin. It’s a low‑effort, high‑impact way to keep the community engaged and help the hospital.
Huge results in a short time
Since the challenge launched last year, Friedman has already scraped together more than $66,000 toward a new goal of $250,000. Over the past seven years, his efforts have brought in about $700,000 for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. That figure helps cover specialized care, medical equipment, and support services for kids who need it most.
From a rare birth defect to a charitable mission
When Skylar was in utero, doctors found an unusually large tumor in his right lung. A complicated operation removed the affected lung tissue when he was just five months old. The surgery saved his life, and he’s been breathing easier ever since. Every two months he visits the hospital in Philadelphia for follow‑ups on his asthma and other health needs. The compassionate team there left a lasting impression, and it sparked Skylar’s desire to thank them in a tangible way.
Golf’s not just a sport for Skylar
He’s a varsity player at Portledge School, where he’s been competing on his school team since the 7th grade. Coach Adam Laird, who began training him as a kid, helped turn their shared passion into a fundraising engine. Together, they organized a 24‑hour marathon at North Shore Country Club that raised $17,000 and a 100‑hole mini golf marathon that drove more donations. Now, dozens of high‑school teammates across the U.S. are joining the 100‑Putt Challenge, pulling in roughly 1,000 individual donors.
Why Skylar keeps going
“I think of it like a mission,” he says. “If I can reach even one person with my story, everything feels worth it.” He’s already written a book, It Could Be Worse, to share his journey and inspire others to give back.
Skylar Friedman’s story shows how a single life‑saving miracle can ripple outward into a massive community impact. By linking golf, storytelling, and charity, he’s proving that a teen with a trophy‑winning wrist can also have the heart of a philanthropist.
Source: New York Post
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