PITMAN GOLF COURSE has provided public golf access since its opening in 1927. In 2021, the club made strides to provide an even greater opportunity for its junior golfers by partnering with the GAP and Youth on Course. The partnership has paid dividends; Pitman, which hosted 2,439 Youth on Course rounds since becoming a partner, was named the 2023 GAP Youth on Course Partner of the Year. Last year, it registered a robust 1,353 rounds. That was the third most in GAP.
Pitman was selected for the award based on its support of GAP Youth on Course, strong communications with GAP’s Member Services Department on Youth on Course related matters and its overall advocacy for Youth on Course and junior golf. This is the first time GAP Youth on Course has recognized a club with the honor.
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“With the amount of kids that are coming out and taking advantage of the program with their parents and grandparents, Pitman is becoming more of a family-type atmosphere,” Pitman’s golf professional and course manager Orist Wells, 55, of Woodbury Heights, N.J., said. “Anytime you win an award is special, but being recognized by the GAP just reinforces what we’re doing out here.”
The Sewell, N.J. golf course is owned and managed by Gloucester County. In 2023, County Commissioner Deputy Director & Golf Liaison Jim Jefferson works closely with Wells on matters pertaining to the golf course.
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“One of our goals with operating the Pitman Golf Course is to ensure we continue to keep the game of golf affordable for all golfers. The Youth on Course program aligns nicely with that,” Jefferson, 42, of Woodbury, N.J., said. “It is an honor to receive the award and we are thankful to be recognized. We take pride in being a leader in public golf in the Gloucester County area.”
“GAP wants to give this award to our partner facilities that go above and beyond, who take the initiative and actively engage with us to help make Youth on Course as great as it can be in our region,” GAP’s Director of Member Outreach Jason Funderburg said. “It’s an honor to show Pitman’s commitment to benefitting their community and junior golfers.”