Hometown Hero: Lawrence Bryan III

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Lawrence Bryan III discovered golf later in life. But he quickly realized that the game teaches many lessons that can help young people away from the course.

This WTOC Hometown Hero and his foundation are using golf as a way to create new opportunities for kids from several Savannah community centers this summer.

Sometimes in golf, where the shot goes is not as important as the direction it provides.

“This golf camp is really something special because it’s more than a golf camp. We teach a lot of life lessons out here,” Bryan III said. About a dozen kids were playing golf at a private club Monday - both a first for a few of them - but something they could get used to.

“Right now, I love golf in the summer. It just makes me feel alive,” Leonardo Larck said.

Summer has started again for Bryan III - whose LB3 Foundation will bring kids from local boys and girls clubs to the Savannah Golf Club every Monday in June for a little instruction - and a lot more.

“I’m a firm believer that it’s easier to build strong children than it is to repair broken me. And that’s what we’re doing with this golf camp.”

“Golf gave me so much and anything I can do to pass it on to the younger generation is something I really enjoy being able to do,” Mark Silvers said.

“We teach work ethic, we teach how to work together, we teach how to be competitive. All that falls under the umbrella of building character.’’

Bryan works at the Savannah Golf Club, which donated the use of the course, and several volunteer instructors give their time to create opportunities not always available to all kids.

“It feels good. It feels fun. It feels good, so much it feels good,” Isabella Heath said.

“We’re trying to spark the interest. We’re looking for the next Hollis Stacy, the next Tiger Woods. But we’re also looking to build character. That’s the main thing, life lessons.”

The camp is one of several ways Bryan is keeping alive his foundation and the memory of his son. He and his wife Linda started the LB4 and After Foundation in honor of his son Lawrence IV, who was murdered in Savannah seven years ago. With Linda stepping down from the organization because she is now an alderwoman representing Savannah’s 3rd District, Lawrence has renamed it, but has not lost any momentum - this WTOC Hometown Hero moving into another summer of shaping young lives.

“We’re going to be out there; we’re going to be watching and we’re going to highlight the people that are doing positive things because other kids are watching and it’s contagious.”

“The work he’s put in and just being able to expose kids to things outside what they see day in, and day out is just an incredible thing and I’m honored that Lawrence lets me come out and help every year.”

“What we hope to do is touch a lot of underserved youngsters, youngsters that are less fortunate and give them an opportunity to get some of this knowledge about golf and build character.”

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