ARCIS GOLF CONTINUES SEVEN-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH ELS FOR AUTISM®
Round Up 4 Els for Autism Rolls Out Nationwide In April
DALLAS (March 27, 2025)—It’s round up time at nearly 70 Arcis Golf private club and daily fee golf properties around the country, in conjunction with World Autism Month. “Round Up 4 Els for Autism,” the company’s annual April initiative to raise funds for Els for Autism Foundation®, runs April 1-30. The global mission of Els for Autism is to transform the lives of people with autism and those who care for them through lifetime services and collaborative partnerships.
An extension of Arcis’s partnership with professional golfer and World Golf Hall of Fame member Ernie Els, his wife Liezl, and Els for Autism Foundation, April’s program has two components. Purchases—including merchandise, food and beverage, and golf—made by Arcis Golf club members and guests are “rounded up” to the nearest dollar with the round-up amounts donated to Els for Autism.
Moreover, each facility is free to stage events such as a golf tournament, fun run, casino night, fashion show, or other types of special events and programming to raise money that directly impact the lives of individuals and families affected by autism spectrum disorder. During the past six years, the company’s campaign has raised more than $675,000.
“The Els for Autism Foundation funds important programs that are the leading examples of what can be available to people with autism spectrum disorder,” said Blake Walker, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Arcis Golf. “Our clubs, members, and guests are always proud to participate in efforts to support the Foundation through the round up campaign and hosted events.”
Additional financial contributions will be accepted, either through an Arcis Golf Club or via an online donation. Clubs or individuals raising or donating $15,000 or more will be invited to send a two-person team to play in November’s Els for Autism Golf Challenge Grand Finale event in Nassau, The Bahamas.
“The support and partnership of Arcis Golf is truly appreciated,” said Ernie Els, who established the Els for Autism Foundation in 2009 with Liezl, after their son Ben was diagnosed. “By rounding up and engaging both Arcis’ members and guests in this simplest of actions, we can generate funds to make the world a better place for people with autism.”
The Foundation envisions a world of limitless possibilities for individuals with autism and their families and partnerships with companies like Arcis Golf, says Els, are key to its success. Its current capital campaign is to build a state-of-the-art recreation complex, offering the opportunity to develop a robust program for individuals with autism, including the Ernie Els #GameON Autism® Sports program. Ground will be broken this summer.
The recreation complex will be the first in the United States to incorporate the ASPECTSS™ Design Index, an acronym for Acoustics, Spatial Sequencing, Escape Space, Compartmentalization, Transitions, and Sensory Zoning. This research-based framework has been developed to create environments specifically designed for individuals with autism worldwide. Every area of the complex—including the Stanley Black & Decker Gymnasium, aquatics center, and splash pad—will provide an autism-friendly experience backed by research.
Another vital component of the recreation complex is the aquatics center. Drowning remains the leading cause of death for autistic children, with Florida reporting the highest number of such tragedies.
“This heartbreaking statistic underscores the importance of our aquatics center, which will also include a splash pad,” said Els for Autism Executive Director Marlene Sotelo, EdD., BCBA-D, MT-BC. “The center will allow us to provide critical water safety education and drowning prevention programs to individuals on our campus.”
Sotelo underscored the importance of the commitment shown from Arcis Golf to the Els for Autism Foundation. “We eagerly anticipate the positive impact of this partnership and the meaningful strides that Arcis Golf will make toward fostering a culture of autism inclusion,” she said.
The partnership with Els for Autism Foundation is one of the numerous ways Arcis Golf supports national philanthropic organizations, including United States Adaptive Golf Alliance, Love Hope Strength Foundation, and Women In Golf Foundation, along with the many local charities in the broader communities it serves.
To learn more about Arcis Golf, visit www.arcisgolf.com.