Imagine a 17-year-old golf enthusiast from Long Island channeling his love for the game into a powerful force for good—quite literally giving back the gift of life through every carefully aimed putt. Skylar Friedman's story isn't just heartwarming; it's a reminder that one person's gratitude can spark a movement. But here's where it gets controversial: Is personal philanthropy like this the ultimate way to support healthcare, or should we be pushing for broader systemic reforms? Stick around, and you might find yourself questioning how we all could contribute in our own unique ways.
Skylar is repaying the incredible team at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia with each successful stroke of his golf club. This dedicated high school golfer has achieved what might feel like a miraculous 'hole in one' in the world of fundraising, amassing over $700,000—and the total keeps climbing—for the very institution that rescued him as a newborn.
"They pulled me through when I was at my most vulnerable, so giving back feels like a natural obligation," Skylar, now 17, shared with The Post. Hailing from Laurel Hollow, he's expanding his efforts by inviting golfers nationwide to join his innovative putting competition to benefit the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where he underwent a rare, life-preserving lung surgery at just five months old.
A year ago, Skylar launched the '100 Putt Challenge' (accessible via https://charity.pledgeit.org/100puttchallenge-25), a straightforward yet brilliant idea that allows participants from all over the U.S. to commit financial pledges based on how many 6-foot putts they successfully make out of a full 100 attempts. And this isn't limited to fancy golf courses—it can happen anywhere, whether you're on a pristine green, in your cozy living room, or even balancing on an airplane aisle during a flight. For beginners wondering how it works, think of it as a fun, low-stakes game where your golf skills directly translate into dollars for a worthy cause. For instance, if someone pledges $1 per putt and nails 70 out of 100, they've just contributed $70 without needing professional gear or expertise.
"Most folks underestimate how those small contributions build up," the 12th grader explained. He's been part of his school's varsity golf team at Portledge School (check out how events like the Ryder Cup are shaking up Long Island high school golf at https://nypost.com/2025/10/10/sports/ryder-cup-at-bethpage-completely-changes-landscape-of-long-island-hs-golf/) since his middle school days. "Say a player promises two bucks per successful putt and sinks 80 of them—that adds up to $160, earned effortlessly in a relaxing afternoon."
With aspirations to become a mechanical engineer one day, Skylar has already surpassed $66,000 toward his ambitious target of $250,000 for this year's challenge. Over the past seven years, his tireless work has funneled a staggering $700,000 into the specialized hospital that's so close to his heart.
His journey began with a rocky start. During a routine prenatal ultrasound meant to reveal whether Skylar would be a boy or girl—a typically joyful milestone—doctors spotted an unusual mass in the right lower lobe of his lungs, posing a serious risk of a fatal heart attack. "It was supposed to be an exciting peek at my gender, but instead, it revealed a rare and dangerous issue," Skylar recalled. Local physicians hadn't encountered this uncommon condition before, making it a first for them too. The Friedman family made the trek to Philadelphia, where surgeons performed a delicate procedure to remove part of his lung. Since then, Skylar has breathed easily and thrived, though he still visits the hospital twice a year for check-ups on his asthma and related health matters.
While he has no personal memories of the ordeal or the medical wonders that unfolded, Skylar deeply appreciates the ongoing kindness shown by the hospital's staff during his follow-up visits. "Each time I return, I'm overwhelmed by the extraordinary warmth and compassion from the doctors and everyone on the team," he noted. Beyond benefiting from their care, Skylar actively contributes as a member of the hospital's youth advisory council, where he shares his experiences through speeches on improving patient care. But he craved to do even more, so seven years back, he teamed up with his long-time golf coach, Adam Laird, to merge their mutual passion for golf with philanthropy.
"To me, Skylar was always this cheerful, carefree kid—never defined by illness," Laird remarked. "He's all about using his own achievements to uplift others, filling up their lives with positivity. I draw so much inspiration from his selfless approach."
Their collaboration kicked off with spontaneous golf marathons, including Laird's epic 24-hour session at North Shore Country Club in Glen Head, which raised $17,000. Building on that momentum, larger donations began flowing in. Skylar even participated in a scaled-down version, tackling 100 holes and ending up using his putter like a walking stick from exhaustion. Last year, to broaden the reach and involve more people, they introduced the remote putt challenge. Skylar was especially moved when he discovered that his entire high school golf team plans to take part next week.
"We've now got participants from around a dozen states, plus nearly 1,000 individual donors this year," Skylar reported. In March, he released his book, 'It Could Be Worse' (available at https://r.nypostlink.com/?btnref=org-19984c113c692001&btnurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FCOULD-WORSE-perseverance-positivity-philanthropy%2Fdp%2FB0F3DF4NWB%3Ftag%3Dnypost-20%26ascrefurl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fnypost.com%2F2025%2F10%2F14%2Fus-news%2Flong-island-teen-golfer-runs-putt-challenge-for-hospital-that-saved-his-life-as-a-baby%2F%26ascsource%3Dweb), chronicling his life story.
"Devoting myself to giving back feels like my true calling. If my story touches even one person, it's all been worthwhile." And this is the part most people miss: Is this kind of grassroots effort truly transformative, or does it distract from the need for more government-funded healthcare solutions? What do you think—should individuals like Skylar shoulder the burden, or is it time for society to step up collectively? Share your thoughts in the comments; I'd love to hear if you agree, disagree, or have your own ideas on how we can all make a difference in healthcare!
