Need a reason to spend a day golfing next week?

TPC Twin Cities is making it simple: It's your patriotic duty.

The Blaine golf course is expanding its partnership with Birdies for the Brave, offering a week of opportunities for service members and civilians alike to relax, play and give back.

The course has been working with local veterans' groups to identify service members who will receive one of 56 tee times available at no cost. At the same time, next Monday through July 8, members and nonmembers will see $100 of a discounted $140 guest fee go to a selected number of approved charities that serve service members and their families.

Those charities include United Through Reading, an organization that provides books for deployed service people to read to children at home via Skype; Homes for Our Troops, which provides housing for wounded veterans; Operation Homefront, a military family assistance group; the Wounded Warrior Project, which supports disabled veterans; and others.

The effort is only one part of a larger campaign. TPC Twin Cities General Manager Alan Cull noted that there will be multiple events over the year, and that all 19 TPC golf courses around the United States, and another 20 partner courses, will participate at different times.

Since 2007, the TPC's parent organization, the PGA Tour, has raised more than $10 million for Birdies for the Brave. Last year alone, participants raised more than $2 million nationwide. Over the years, TPC Twin Cities has raised more than $250,000.

The Tees for Troops portion of the campaign will all be spoken for, but people who are interested in the fundraiser should contact Cull at 763-795-0806 to set up a tee time.

He said taking on the project was an easy decision for a week that often is slow anyway.

"It's really important that we support those that defend our country every day," he said. He gave a nod to deployed service members risking their lives in uncomfortable and unsafe conditions, adding, "It's the least we can do as an organization and a club in our community to support those who defend our country every day."

The club also will accept donations, addressed to Birdies for the Brave, c/o TPC Twin Cities, 11444 Tournament Players Pkwy., Blaine, MN 55449.

Maria Elena Baca • 612-673-4409