Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017 - 24

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Youth Golf at a Glance
T
he PGA Jr. League program
boasted a 17 percent increase
in junior participation last year
when 36,000 boys and girls formed
2,900 teams around the country. According
to the National Golf Foundation,
junior golfer participation has
long fl uctuated between 2 and 3.8
million kids (ages 6-17) since 1985. From 2014 to 2015 (the
latest year for fi gures), junior participation dipped 6 percent
to 3 million. While girls make up 32 percent of these golfers,
they represent the fastest growing segment in golf, according
to Sheryl Maize, an LPGA teaching professional from Crystal
Lake Golf Club in Lakeville.
" Without a doubt " girls' participation in golf is growing,
Maize says, in spite of the centrifugal forces that pull girls
away from the game in their junior high and high school years.
Along with learning golf skills, friendship, social activity and
mentoring are important components to keeping girls involved,
explains Maize, who points to an LPGA program called
E-leaders, where girls ages 13-17 mentor younger ones.
Megan Welch, who has been involved in girls' golf since she
was 6 years old, is Maize's fi rst E-leader. She is now a junior at
Lakeville North and has already committed to Bradley University.
Mentors like Welch work closely with LPGA professionals
and amass volunteer hours while in high school.
Contributions to youth golf are also being made at the monetary
level. At the recent Minnesota Golf Show, proceeds from
the $100,000 Pontoon Putt contest helped organizers raise
$2,000 for the youth golf organization First Tee Foundation.
Venture Bank, a golf show sponsor, contributed a matching
$2,000 donation.
Additionally, 2nd Swing, the show's largest retail exhibitor,
is committed to turning donated golf clubs into cash for
participating First Tee Chapters, says Russ Higgins, 2nd Swing
president. 2nd Swing also partners with Dave Torbenson, PGA
professional at Mankato Golf Club, who organizes a one-ofa-kind
Golf-A-Palooza event (May 12 at North Links Golf
Course) where junior golfers can swap their " outgrown " golf
clubs for better-fi tting ones. If successful, Higgins says the golf
swap idea could be piloted elsewhere.
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Annual Rally for a Cure Scramble, Eagle Creek Golf Club, Willmar
Twin Cities Golf Classic, The Links at Northfork, Ramsey
7th Annual Dan Baker Memorial Golf Tournament, Eagle Creek
Golf Club, Willmar
Freeborn County Ag Open, Green Lea Golf Course, Albert Lea
Tee It Up for the Troops at Bunker Hills, Bunker Hills Golf Club,
Coon Rapids
11th Swanson's Melanoma Golf Opener for Cancer, Breezy Point
Resort-Traditional, Breezy Point
American Legion Post 56 Fundraiser, Green Lea Golf Course,
Albert Lea
Chippewa County Montevideo Hospital Tournament,
The Crossings at Montevideo, Montevideo
Just Fore Kids, Rush Creek Golf Club, Maple Grove
Potach Memorial Golf Tournament, Austin Country Club, Austin
Fairview/Milaca Firemen Relief Fund/Scrubby Bear, Stones Throw
Golf Course, Milaca
12th Annual The Well Golf Classic, Rich Valley Golf Course,
Rosemount
Equipment Fundraiser, Headwaters Golf Club, Park Rapids
13th Annual Bobby & Steve's Auto World Youth Foundation Golf
Tournament, Bearpath Golf & Country Club, Eden Prairie
Golf For Good, Pioneer Creek Golf Course, Maple Plain
Southern MN Rec & Park Association (SMRPA), Brooktree Golf
Course, Owatonna
Albert Lea Hockey Open, Green Lea Golf Course, Albert Lea
Ed Sauer BSU Men's Golf Scholarship Tournament, Tianna
Country Club, Walker
Elk's Big Cup, Brooktree Golf Course, Owatonna
Lewis House Charity Golf Tournament, Brackett's Crossing Country
Club, Lakeville
Rally for the Cure, Ridgeview Country Club, Duluth
Park Rapids Rotary 4-Person Scramble, Headwaters Golf Club,
Park Rapids
Pink Ribbon Scramble, Madden's On Gull Lake-Pine Beach East,
Brainerd
September
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Miracle-Ear Foundation Golf Classic, Baker National Golf Club,
Medina
Princeton Elim Care Golf Classic, Princeton Golf Course, Princeton
Matt Barta Memorial Tournament, Brooktree Golf Course,
Owatonna
Terry Anderson Memorial Golf Tournament, Rush Creek Golf
Club, Maple Grove
Ultra Scholarship 9-Hole 4-Person Scramble, Stones Throw Golf
Course, Milaca
Tee It Up for the Troops, Brackett's Crossing Country Club,
Lakeville
Cystic Fibrosis Benefi t 4-Person Scramble, Stones Throw Golf
Course, Milaca
Grand Itasca Foundation Women's Scramble, Pokegama Golf
Course, Grand Rapids
M Club 4-Person Scramble, Silver Bay Golf Course, Silver Bay
Montevideo Football Fundraiser Tournament, The Crossings at
Montevideo, Montevideo
Grand Itasca Foundation Men's Scramble, Pokegama Golf Course,
Grand Rapids
Maranatha Mustang Golf Classic, Rush Creek Golf Club,
Maple Grove
Prep Classic at Madden's on Gull Lake, Madden's On Gull Lake-
The Classic, Brainerd
McGregor Chamber 9-Hole 4-Person Scramble, Minnesota
National Golf Course-33 Course, McGregor
RWC 100 Hole Challenge, Rush Creek Golf Club, Maple Grove
St. John's Lutheran Church, Rush Creek Golf Club, Maple Grove
www.mngolf.org
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2017

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