Growing the game one team at a time: PGA Junior League Golf
September 29, 2016
By Nikki Gatch, PGA
For the 60 years that followed the Second World War golf luxuriated in an environment that demanded little more from its practitioners than opening the golf shop door. That’s hardly the situation now. Those who expect to succeed in the industry have to set themselves apart from their competition if they hope to attract and retain customers. Programs, initiatives and discounting are the orders of this day.
In the effort we’ve had some hits and we’ve had some misses. The PGA Junior League Golf is one of the big hits.
In just six years a program premised upon team principles with proven success in other junior sports has achieved tremendous results at both the local and national levels. PGA Junior League Golf began in 2011 with four pilot teams and a meager 40 participants in Atlanta, Tampa, Dallas and San Diego. From that humble start, the program has grown to 36,000 participants and 2,700 teams reaching 47 states and all 41 of the PGA of America’s Sections.
PGA Junior League Golf is all about fun, sociability, inclusion and equal opportunity for boys and girls ages 13 and under to learn the game by enjoying the experience the way in which youngsters enjoy all sports activities at that age – by being on teams and wearing numbered jerseys.
Each team is captained by a PGA or LPGA Professional, who serves as the coach and takes responsibility for creating a welcoming and fun environment. Junior League Golf utilizes a scramble format, one that every adult reading this will recognize as the least intimidating and most nurturing environment to learn and develop their game.
PGA Junior League Golf is the key youth initiative of PGA REACH, the charitable arm of the PGA of America. The program focuses on fun, recreation, good health and sportsmanship. PGA Junior League Golf is recreational and developmental in nature and works with PGA Sections and local youth organizations across the country to offer an alternative, social golf format. This approach, different from so many of the game’s predecessor programs, highlights team play versus individual competition and serves as a feeder system to transition youth golfers to existing junior golf programs. Many PGA Professionals have used it as a complement to their existing junior golf program or as a mechanism for kick-starting a junior program at their facility.
Like most other youth team sports, there is opportunity for advancement for the more skilled players in the form of a post season competition that culminate with a National Championship.
The 2016 Championship will be held at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, AZ. With the addition of Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Lexi Thompson and Michelle Wie as Official Ambassadors, the program’s future seems assured.
The industry reaps much of the benefit. PGA Junior League Golf stimulates so much sufficient excess demand that many PGA Professionals extend the 6-8 week program beyond summer as a way of to sop demand, particularly in places like Southern California, where golfers have year round access.
PGA Junior League Golf grows not just the ranks of new players, but brings in revenue in the form of $150-200 participant fees, increased course traffic, practice matches and bringing customers and potential customers to one’s business. Simply put, facilities are enjoying increased revenue and greater customer loyalty all while sowing seeds for longer term growth. Rounds, revenue and growth – the trifecta of any successful grow the game initiative. Not to mention 36,000 kids playing more golf!
And don’t forget parents and grandparents. Studies show that when kids play more golf, their parents and grandparents do as well. In addition, some who are non-golfers are stimulated to become golfers themselves as a result of taking the kids to Junior League. With leagues once again becoming popular, who is to say that it wasn’t PGA Junior League Golf that is leading the way? Sociability, camaraderie and fun – they’re not just the province of the young. The 2-person scramble format of PGA Junior League Golf is easily adapted to an adult league.
For more information, please visit PGAJLG.com.
Nikki Gatch is the Player Development Regional Manager for the PGA of America.