Augusta National Golf Club has made a habit of giving back to the local community through an annual donation to The Community Foundation for the CSRA.

Now it is letting its employees choose where some of the money will go.

Billy Payne, the chairman of Augusta National and the Masters Tournament, announced Monday a new program that enables club employees to designate $1,000 each in charitable contributions to a local organization.

"Our employees are an integral part of this organization, and they are committed to this community," Mr. Payne said in a prepared statement. "This new initiative recognizes their hard work and dedication, and I'm certain the money will be donated wisely."

Augusta National, which has a few hundred employees, will give $3.4 million to charity this year. In the past 11 years, the Masters has made contributions of nearly $36 million.

The Community Foundation for the CSRA will receive a gift of $1.25 million, which includes the recently established Augusta National Employee Giving Fund.

"I was just delighted. What a strong statement it makes for the Augusta National," said Lee Smith, the foundation's president and CEO. "They've raised the bar in the corporate world one more time."

Mr. Smith said Augusta National employees would choose one of the 150 approved area charities that benefit from contributions.

The Community Foundation, which is based in Augusta, serves Richmond, Columbia, Aiken, McDuffie, Burke and Edgefield counties. Since 1997, the foundation has received nearly $14 million from Augusta National.

Also included in the gift to the foundation is $250,000 to help construct a new Fisher House at Augusta's Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center. Fisher House provides free temporary lodging to members of the military, veterans and their families during a medical crisis.

"We house a lot of unique programs," said Michael Shaffer, the assistant to the director for the medical center. "Each of those programs are long-term for those patients, and to have the ability for their family to be close to them is important."

The Fisher House will be built on the Wrightsboro Road campus, and construction is set to begin in 2009. The facility will cost $5.4 million, but the community is asked to raise $1.8 million.

"It's a wonderful boost," Mr. Shaffer said.

The national First Tee youth development program, which teaches character education through the game of golf to young people of all backgrounds, will receive $1 million. Since 1998, the Masters has given more than $11 million to the organization.

Others receiving significant contributions are The First Tee of Augusta and the major golf organizations.

"Our employee contributions and our gifts, both in and outside of Augusta, will be used to positively affect the lives of many people in need," Mr. Payne said. "We hope to grow the game globally, and this is an example of the wonderful things golf can do."