Tim Tebow Offers Message Of Hope At McLemore Golf Outing

Tim Tebow certainly understands the benefits of calling an audible when necessary.

He gained plenty of experience over the course of his career at Florida, where he led the Gators to a pair of national championships and became the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy in 2007, followed by three seasons in the NFL.

As Tebow mingled with guests Monday morning at the spectacular McLemore resort prior to a charity golf outing, he was faced with a perplexing dilemma.

Tebow was the guest of Challenge Golf Association, a non-profit ministry that uses golf as an evangelistic outreach opportunity and ongoing discipleship program to help ground men in their faith. Tebow happily responded to numerous autograph requests, signing everything from McLemore logo pin flags, Gator football helmets and golf balls.

But when handed a Tennessee golf head cover to sign, it gave him a moment’s pause and prompted him to change the the play to offer a special message to the Vols fan.

“The reason we’re here today is all about grace, and that includes signing Tennessee stuff,” Tebow said. “Of course I couldn’t resist the opportunity to add the message ‘4-0 versus Tennessee. God Bless. Go Gators!’”

Tebow’s good-natured reminder of Florida’s dominance over the Vols during his time with the Gators drew laughter among the notable attendees to support Challenge Golf, including Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz and former Braves outfielders Brian Jordan and Otis Nixon.

But Tebow took a more serious tone in offering a challenge to the golfers before they headed out to tackle their round of golf at the picturesque course atop Lookout Mountain overlooking Chickamauga, Georgia.

“It’s fun to be here because I get to argue with Tennessee and Auburn fans,” Tebow said. “But it’s important in life to always have the right perspective. The perspective today is knowing we’re here to raise money to be able to reach people to change lives, to share the good news of the gospel and to encourage people with faith, hope and love.”

Tebow is now pursuing a career in professional baseball as a member of the New York Mets organization along with serving as a regular host of “SEC Nation” and as a college football analyst with ESPN. Raised as the son of missionaries to the Philippines, Tebow also devotes his energy to his Tim Tebow Foundation. 

The goal of his foundation is to make dreams come true for children with life-threatening illnesses, building playrooms in children’s hospitals, providing critical surgeries to needy children in the Philippines, sponsoring a national prom night for special needs individuals as well as funding grants for those seeking international adoptions.

In other words, he’s much more than a pretty face and two-sport jock. Tebow is someone whose faith and actions serve as an example for others, which is why the prestigious gathering at McLemore were zeroed in on his message.

“We have the chance in our lives to take our success and accomplish something truly important, to turn our success into significance,” Tebow said. “My goal and prayer for each one of us is that that everything God has instilled in us and given us, that we would be able to invest it back into people’s lives to make their life better because of the blessings we’ve enjoyed. I believe that one day the biggest regret that people will have at the end of their life they will look back and say, ‘Dang, I was really successful, but in nothing that actually mattered’.  I believe the greatest form of tragedy is to be successful in something that doesn’t matter.”

The fallout from this year’s global pandemic has impacted Tebow as well. He lost a season due to cancellation of minor league baseball last summer, and many of his broadcast duties are conducted remotely as SEC football struggles to the finish line. But Tebow refuses to complain, insisting on seeing the glass half-full.

“Every single one of us gets the chance to turn our successes, our blessings, our resources and our opportunities into something that actually matters,” Tebow said. “But it involves a choice, and it’s a choice we can all make. That choice is making our lives count every single day.

“I see these times as an opportunity for believers to step up and make a difference in the midst of some really hard times. You have a chance when it’s harder to step up and bring light and I think it’s an opportunity for so many people to do that. There are so many people hurting right now that God’s people need to seize the moment to bring a message of hope like never before.”

Challenge Golf was founded in Cleveland in 2004 by Ron Potter. His desire was to use the game of golf as a mission field to evangelize and disciple individuals in a non-threatening manner. They conduct several featured events at memorable venues while partnering with local churches in Chattanooga, Atlanta and Birmingham.

“Our goal is to share Jesus with one million golfers,” Potter said. “Our last six events have seen 95 individuals make written decisions of faith, so it’s exciting to see God continue to bless our ministry. This is the biggest event we’ve had because everybody knows Tim Tebow.”

For more information on Challenge Golf and how to get involved, contact Potter at 423-596-1447 or ron@challengegolf.org.

Paul Payne can be contacted by email at paulpayne6249@gmail.com or via Twitter @Paul_A_Payne.