The Pellucid Perspective - March 2016 - (Page 2)

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PGA Junior League Golf: Timing is everything By Jim Koppenhaver 2 THE PELLUCID PERSPECTIVE MARCH 2016 WWW.PGA.COM/NEWS/PGA/CALIFORNIA-GEORGIA-MEET-AGAIN-IN-PGA-JUNIOR-LEAGUE-CHAMPIONSHIP-FINAL I finally found something on which the all-knowing Google to have fun rounds with the Ps. We also went way down the didn't have a consensus answer: the origin of the expression philanthropic path using golf as the vehicle to build life skills, "Timing is everything." So I get to make my own up and, for confidence and self-esteem with The First Tee. While this prome, it speaks to the idea of having the right idea at the right time. gram has had its challenges strategically (starting with, "Let's I can personally attest to this as, in retrospect, launching a golf in- set an objective to build 1,000 more golf courses in the US" in formation company in 2000 is the antithesis of good timing. But the midst of the greatest expansion boom and oversupply situI digress... I'd suggest that PGA Junior Golf League could be a ation in industry history), one cannot fail to acknowledge that poster child for golf 's right idea at the right time. Pellucid fol- the program at its core has also contributed to exposing more lowers will know that historically I've been hard (but factual and (and more diverse) youth to the sport early in life which can't fair) on our industry in shining light into places that associations, hurt us as those kids reach more prime play and spending ages. industry cheerleaders and power brokers would prefer remain in We also have SNAG (Starting New at Golf ) which interestthe shadows. They say I don't look for the "positive stories" so I ingly was first "pitched" to me at the inaugural Golf 20/20 event dedicate this article to all of you (and you know who you are). by Terry Anton and Wally Armstrong who have overcome maFor the uninitiated, PGA Junior League Golf ( JLG) is a prop- jor industry obstacles and inertia to finally be embraced by the erty developed initially by League "mainstream golf establishment" Golf, LLC. (interestingly, this comincluding an endorsement by Jack JLG members at a match pany is now a "ghost" in the public Nicklaus (Good on you, mates!) in Georgia in 2014. domain, like it never existed, not a To evolve that thinking into "Why trace) in conjunction with the PGA don't we make it an organized team of America and then subsequently sport, inclusive in format and with wholly acquired by the PGA of a built-in qualified coaching staff ?" America in 2015. According to is, in hindsight, the one that no one several public domain articles on saw coming. the topic and the PGA of America's Getting back to my headline website, the acquisition was strucpoint about timing being everytured such that PGA JLG falls unthing and JLG. I believe that der the auspices of PGA REACH, there are several tailwinds which the charitable arm of the PGA of should continue to contribute to America. This enables the PGA of the growth and success of JLG. America to use proceeds from PGA The first is the growing and real JLG to fund golf scholarships and concern about the brain damage financial aid. It started in 2011 with 16 teams in the markets of risk (likelihood) from contact football at the professional level Atlanta, Dallas, San Diego and Tampa and has grown since then on down. Of particular concern is the risk/reward equation at to 2,500 teams and 30,000 participants across 48 states in '15, the organized youth football level starting as early as age 7 (50according to the PGA of America. That's dramatic growth in 100 lbs). Over the holidays I went to see the movie Concussion anyone's book and if we count the coaches, parents and siblings and while I realize that Hollywood's modus operandi is to create involved, the reach of this thing has to exceed 100K individu- drama and paint issues as clear "right" vs. "wrong," by the film's als. It's also one of those ideas which, in retrospect, should have conclusion, you can't ignore the mounting body of evidence that been a no-brainer. We have Little League Baseball, Pop Warner the human body (brain in particular) was not built for this sort of football, travel teams for all the major sports (including hockey recreation. Given that I consider myself a relatively mainstream, up here in the northern climes) and generally Park District sports rational parent, were either of my two sons today at the age of programs for the "mere mortals" (which was me growing up, I youth football, I'd likely take the initial path of flag football and wouldn't have made any of today's travel teams based on their strongly urge against the high school or college variety of the skill and the hours they devote to it). sport. To be clear, I grew up playing the sport and like the stratWhile those were growing and thriving, we had golf with egy, skills and thrill of a well-executed play as much as anyone, this patchwork quilt of Jr. Golf initiatives mostly positioned as it's just that of all the things you could do to get the joy of sport, skill development and with the purpose of getting kids out on that one just has too much downside that can happen in, literally, the course, building skills for high school competition or just a split second. Sports Business Journal devoted an entire issue http://WWW.PGA.COM/NEWS/PGA/CALIFORNIA-GEORGIA-MEET-AGAIN-IN-PGA-JUNIOR-LEAGUE-CHAMPIONSHIP-FINAL

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Pellucid Perspective - March 2016

TOC
PGA Junior League Golf: Timing is everything
Century old course takes futuristic approach to renovation project
Spring hopes eternal
Turf reduction changing the face of Southwest golf
Say it ain’t so, Joe
February golf weather impact: Good times return
Numbers not peachy for Atlanta golf
Golf’s future under Donald, Hillary, Ted, Bernie et al

The Pellucid Perspective - March 2016