(PEBBLE BEACH, CA) – 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 Maine State Golf Association (MSGA) to deliver affordable and accessible golf and personal growth opportunities to the young people across the state of Maine.
The partnership opens the door for Maine’s young golfers to access affordable rounds of golf at participating facilities, including Apple Valley Golf Course, JW Parks Golf Course, Barnes Brook Golf Course, Mars Hill Country Club, Turner Highlands Golf Course, Val Halla Golf Course, Riverside Golf Course, Bangor Municipal Golf Course, South Portland Municipal Golf Course and Dutch Elm Golf Course where rounds will be offered for $5 or less. Additional courses will be added in the coming months. Juniors in the state ages 6-18 can sign up for a Youth on Course membership here: www.youthoncourse.org/join.
“Maine has a proud history in supporting junior golf in the state and this partnership is the next step for making the game affordable for the next generation of golfers,” says Michael Lowe, vice president of programs for Youth on Course. “We’re proud to welcome the Maine State Golf Association into the YOC family, and excited to expand our reach and available opportunities to the junior golfers in the state.”
Young golfers that sign up will join the Youth on Course national network gaining access to golf for $5 or less at nearly 1,400 facilities nationwide, membership to their local state and regional golf association, ability to apply for college scholarships, the opportunity for paid internships and so much more.
“The MSGA is proud to collaborate with Youth on Course and Maine’s golf courses to bring more access and opportunities for the next generation of Maine’s golfers,” says Brian Bickford, MSGA executive director. “Our junior programs have been important to growing the game within the state and this partnership is a natural extension to continue our reach for current and prospective young golfers. We will also partner with golf professionals and town recreation departments to ensure this offering is bundled with local golf instructional programs.
Born out of the Northern California Golf Association in 2006, more than 100,000 members have played more than one million rounds of golf. Fueling the golf industry, Youth on Course subsidizes rounds for members and puts money back into allied golf associations and individual 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. The amount reimbursed back to participating courses has almost doubled in the past year, reaching close to $2.8 million this year alone and totaling nearly $8 million dating back to 2005.
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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 more than one thousand golf 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 subsidized 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 all of the United States of America and parts of Canada.
About Maine State Golf Association
The Maine State Golf Association (MSGA), which was founded in 1917, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) association that serves as the official governing body of amateur golf in Maine. What started as a small group of golfers who got together to run the annual Amateur Championship has grown to an association of more than 120 clubs and 16,000 members. Today the MSGA is directed by a volunteer-based board of amateur golfers passionately dedicated to promoting the game of golf and providing valuable benefits and services to its members.