GolfNewsRI

Rhode Island golf royalty made their way to Button Hole on Tuesday evening for the 25th anniversary celebration. 

Among them, founder Ed Mauro, as well as, Brad Faxon and Billy Andrade. 

Button Hole opened its doors in 2001 after being founded by Mauro a couple of years earlier.

“This night is so special for me and it’s special because of the people as I look around. Of course it started a little bit different 28 years ago when we found it and it took us 2 1/2 years to get it to what it looks like now,” Mauro told a group of media at the event. 

Faxon and Andrade have been massive supporters of Button Hole since the beginning and still come back to check things out on occasion. 

“It’s remarkable to walk down here and see all the pictures of what it used to look like. I don’t think you would have ever wanted to come here unless you wanted to ride a dirt bike, honestly. I don’t think even Ed envisioned what was going to happen. To see the amount of kids that have come through here, how it’s changed the lives of these kids,” said Faxon.

Since 2001, Button Hole has seen more than 25K kids take part in their various programs and has become one of the premier practice facilities and learning centers in the country. 

Button Hole has also hosted Drive, Chip and Putt local qualifiers in each of the last several years.

“I’m so proud. There were 25,000 kids that came through here, and some of them, you can’t even describe how special they became. They were special to start with and by the end of their time here, they were very very special,” added Mauro. 

Mauro is now 93 1/2 years old and still played golf until recently, including a hole-in-one in 2024. 

“He has such passion, obviously for the game, but to grow the game. I know David Fay at the USGA helped him along the way, but to see what they have now and just see over 25 years, the players that have come here. I said to him early on that there is going to be someone that has come through here and blow you away at how great they are and Megan Khang has done that,” said Andrade. 

Khang is currently on the LPGA Tour where she ranks 76th in the world with one professional win. 

She talked about her time at Button Hole at the FM Global Championship two years ago. 

Along with the 25-year celebration, Button Hole also unveiled the Ed Mauro Learning Center, which is located behind hole number two.

“This is just a great night for Ed. He has done so much, he has been a great role model for me. To see his passion to want to help others and to do it through golf is a home run in my mind,” added Andrade.

Mauro noted “I really was sought of a key guy 2 1/2 years before we opened 25 years ago, but the people met a lot to me. They stood up and helped me so much. So, it’s not my Button Hole, it’s the Button Hole of a lot of people, in particularly the kids that came here.”

For more information about Button Hole, or to get involved, click HERE.

GolfNewsRI TV featured Button Hole in episode one of season two.