Tiger Woods brought his commitment to education to West Philadelphia on Sept. 8 as he unveiled the Smilow Woodland TGR Learning Lab. The education center is part of a $150 million renovation of the historic Cobbs Creek Golf Course, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Cobbs Creek Golf Club, which opened in 1916, was one of the first courses in the region to welcome golfers of all races. It was also the home course of Charlie Sifford, the first Black golfer to earn a PGA Tour card, per the Philadelphia Business Journal. Woods, who calls Sifford “the grandfather he never had,” even named his son Charlie in his honor.
The 30,000-square-foot facility, a collaboration between the TGR Foundation, the Cobbs Creek Foundation, and the Smilow Foundation, is designed to do far more than teach golf. Students from grades one through 12 will have free, year-round access to programs in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, along with college prep and career readiness initiatives. Woods, who co-founded the TGR Foundation in 1996 with his parents, Earl and Kultida, said, per the Philadelphia Business Journal, that the goal of the center is to “produce the greatest humans possible.”
“This isn’t just a building, it’s a place in this neighborhood where kids can learn, thrive, and grow.” said Christopher Maguire, chairman of the Cobbs Creek Foundation and CEO of LIO Insurance Co.
The TGR Foundation committed more than $4 million to the project, which is expected to engage 4,500 students annually, the Cobble Creek Foundation reports.
The Smilow Woodland TGR Learning Lab, which had a soft launch in April 2025, is the second TGR Learning Lab established by Woods’ foundation. It follows the flagship location in Anaheim, California, which opened in 2006 and has served more than 200,000 students since, according to the foundation.
Bill Smilow, CEO of the Smilow Foundation, a major supporter of the project, told the Philadelphia Business Journal that he hopes the learning lab will “spark a passion for knowledge and transform lives.”
Students who attended over the summer, such as Fatima Choudry, called it “nothing short of lifesaving” and praised it as a space where they feel “seen, heard, and empowered,” the Philadelphia Business Journal notes.
According to the outlet, the ribbon-cutting featured speeches by Gov. Josh Shapiro, Mayor Cherelle Parker, and TGR Foundation CEO Cyndi Court.
The broader Cobbs Creek renovation includes plans for a TGR Design short course, driving range complex, heritage center, entertainment venue, restaurant, and pro shop, which are expected to debut in fall 2025.
