Junior Golf World Blog

The Junior Golf World Blog is a mini-journal about junior golf. It will...

-- let you know whenever new web pages appear on junior-golf-world.com

-- keep you up to date with other posting and news about junior golf

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Look what's going on in Texas for junior golfers!

The state's top four golf organizations have formed an alliance aimed at creating better opportunities and ease expenses for junior golfers and their families. Read about it here:

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Holiday Golf Gifts

Are you looking for gifts to put in your junior golfers stocking this year? Check out the Urban Saints website www.urbansaints.com for reasonably priced junior golf clothing and accessories.

Patriot Golf Day

Patriot Golf Day is the flagship fundraiser for the Folds of Honor Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides postsecondary educational scholarships for the children and spouses of military men and women disabled or killed while serving our great nation. On Labor Day weekend, golfers across the country are asked to add an extra dollar to their greens fees to fund Folds of Honor scholarships. The Patriot Golf Day campaign is jointly supported by The PGA of America and the United States Golf Association.

The inaugural Patriot Golf Day in 2007 was started by Major Dan Rooney, Founder of the Folds of Honor Foundation, F-16 Pilot, PGA Professional, and USGA member. On Labor Day 2007 Rooney asked golfers to add $1 to their greens fees. His request resulted in donations of more than $1.1 million from more than 3,200 golf facilities. In the last four years, golfers nationwide have been instrumental in raising more than $5.3 million through Patriot Golf Day events resulting in 2,000+ recipients in all 50 states and 41 PGA sections.

Patriot Golf Day 2011 will again be held during the Labor Day weekend, September 2-5.

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Pinehurst Renovation Review

Pinehurst Renovation Review, A Kids Review of Pinehurst No. 2

Permalink -- click for full blog post "Pinehurst Renovation Review"

Dollar Days In Los Angeles

From GolfWeek Junior Extra...It’s a common conversation topic among golfers: How can we keep kids interested in the game? Innovative equipment? Big-name celebrities?

Los Angeles County says it’s simple – keep golf cheap.

For the entire month of July, junior golfers can play at any county golf course for $1. (There are 17 county golf facilities.)

The rules require the junior to bring someone along. Any golfer age 18 and younger can play for a buck after 12 p.m. when accompanied by an adult, senior, twilight or super-twilight fee.

Also, each course will organize a “Special Skills Day,” with activities such as free lessons, clinics and skills contests.

When he announced the program, Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe said he hoped golf will act as a crime deterrent and an opportunity for kids to learn new physical, social and mental skills.

And it’s working, said Mike McMonegal, LA County Junior Golf Program Co-director. The $1 program has been in place for more than a decade, and each year it brings 2,500 young players to the game.

McMonegal organizes tournaments and free lessons throughout the year for the kids who get hooked on golf. This week, 300 junior players showed up for a tournament.

“That kind of turnout is unheard of in golf,” he said. “This program shows that L.A. County is where golfers of all ages can come and play. These aren’t private country clubs. These courses are for everyone.”

The organizers of the promotion aren’t shy about the fact that they want to create a larger golf following again. In 1992, nearly 2 million golfers frequented the L.A. courses. That number has dropped to about 1.5 million, McMonegal said.

Programs like the $1 initiative are an investment in future golfers.

“In the 70s, people worked at promoting golf, and the game grew” McMonegal said. “Now, we’ve seen a decrease and it’s back to the old-school way where we have to get back out and promote. We have to bring the juniors to the golf courses so they realize this is something they want to pick up and play for life.”

Around the U.S., other programs are reaching the same conclusion. Billy Casper Golf, which operates more than 125 golf courses nationwide, has launched a “Kids Play Free” program at all its courses.

“We want kids to know golf is a lifelong sport,” McMonegal said. “All the other sports they can play as a youth, but when you become an adult, golf is still there.”

– CJ Lotz