Fourth Largest PGA Section Will Provide Additional Affordable Access to Golf, Industry Internship Support and Collegiate Scholarships
(PEBBLE BEACH, Calif.) – Youth on Course – the non-profit organization dedicated to opening doors, supporting dreams and transforming the lives of young people through opportunities on and off the golf course – has partnered with the charitable affiliate of the North Florida Professional Golf Association (PGA), Yours & One Other, to deliver affordable and accessible golf and personal growth opportunities on and off the golf course to the young people across North and Central Florida.
With the addition of the fourth largest PGA Section in the United States, the partnership opens the doors to affordable golf for more than 1.9 million of the approximately 2.5 million youth golfers across the continent. Committed to making the game more appealing, inclusive and accessible to nurture the next generation of lifelong players and lovers of the game, junior golfers may play rounds for $5 or less at more than 1,400 participating courses across 39 states and Canada. Youth in North and Central Florida ages 6-18 can sign up for a membership here: www.youthoncourse.org/join.
“Ever since we began expanding Youth on Course across the country, we’ve been focused on implementing the program within Florida communities,” says Michael Lowe, vice president of programs for Youth on Course. “There is a great love for the game in the region, and this partnership with the North Florida PGA gives youth golfers the opportunity to have more access to golf courses they may not have had previously.”
Other youth programming managed by the North Florida PGA include local and regional Drive, Chip, & Putt, The Boys & Girls Junior North Florida PGA Championship, and PGA Jr. League.
“We strive to promote the overall enjoyment and growth of the game in the North and Central Florida region, and joining forces with Youth on Course helps us continue to accomplish this mission,” says Steve McMillen, Executive Director “Youth on Course allows youth to not only deepen their love for golf, but also explore opportunities off the course that would not have been possible if they didn’t take up the game.”
Youth on Course puts their members’ lives on a different trajectory by providing off-course growth and learning experiences including paid internships, a scholarship program and caddying opportunities. In 2020, the organization awarded 19 members with scholarships to support their college dreams. More than 70% of scholarship recipients are minorities and over 42% of scholarships awarded in 2020 were to members set to be the first in their family to attend college. Since the inception of the scholarship program in 2008, 260 Youth on Course members have been awarded with scholarships totaling close to $2 million in financial support. The current scholarship retention rate is ninety-three percent.
Born out of the Northern California Golf Association in 2006, Youth on Course puts money back into the state organizations and courses. The organization’s structure helps golf courses fill typically unused tee times and garner additional revenue with more than 40% of members playing with paying adults. They have achieved significant milestones including more than 100,000 members playing more than one million rounds of golf while generating over $8 million in tee-time revenue back to individual golf courses.
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More information: 831.625.4653.
About Youth on Course
The core purpose of Youth on Course is to help young people grow and succeed both on and off the course by providing opportunities to play, learn, grow, and build relationships through affordable, inclusive access to play. More than 100,000 members play thousands of courses for $5 or less, benefit from career opportunities through the caddie and internship program and receive college scholarships. Headquartered in Pebble Beach, Youth on Course is a 501(c)3 organization that began as the charitable arm of the Northern California Golf Association. Since 2006, more than one million rounds have been played by Youth on Course members and nearly $2 million has been awarded in college scholarships. Across North America, Youth on Course serves Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Florida, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and parts of Canada.
About Yours & One Other
Yours & One Other is the charitable affiliate of the North Florida PGA. Through the framework of the greatest game ever played, Yours & One Other seeks to fix challenges facing North Florida’s youth and veterans. Using the simple principle of repairing your ball mark and one other, Yours & One Other empowers PGA Professionals to change the lives of youth and veterans in their communities. In addition to partnering with Youth on Course, Yours & One Other operates PGA HOPE programming in Jacksonville, Tampa, Sarasota, and Orlando which aspires to create a physically and emotionally healthier Veteran community by shaping lives, changing lives, and possibly saving lives through the game of golf. With its headquarters in Orlando, Yours & One Other is a 501(c)(3) organization that serves North & Central Florida within the following major markets including Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Melbourne, Orlando, Sarasota, and Tampa.