The PGA of America and Sigma Pi Phi have selected Sandhill Crane Golf Club as the host site for more than 60 boys and girls from West Palm Beach, Miami and Orlando this Saturday, Jan. 14, at 10 a.m., for a friendly competition, lunch and awards ceremony to celebrate their successful PGA Junior League Golf pilot program. Held at seven top junior golf facilities throughout Florida, Georgia and Texas, the program provided six weeks of free PGA Professional golf instruction to children of all socio-economic backgrounds. Created to cultivate more diversity in junior golf, more than 200 kids participated in the program, with nearly 87 percent having never played golf before. The event will be broadcast by ESPN with live radio and television coverage.
Funded by PGA REACH, the charitable foundation of the PGA of America, participants were provided with numbered jerseys and utilized PGA Junior League Golf’s team format during the on-course portion of the program. PGA Junior League Golf provides a fun, social and inclusive opportunity for boys and girls ages 13 and under to learn and enjoy the game of golf under the direction of PGA and LPGA Professionals.
"We are honored to this host this event”, said City Projects Director Charlotte Presensky. “The future of golf depends on providing opportunities for all youth to be introduced to this classic sport. This event further demonstrates our commitment to fostering this mission as we expand our local junior golfer opportunities.”
Sigma Pi Phi Boulés (chapters) in each market recruited local youth to participate in the program and volunteered their time during the six weeks of instruction. In addition to Sandhill Crane Golf Club, participating facilities from Florida included Country Club of Miami and Quantum Performance Institute of Orlando. Other facilities in Texas and Georgia that took also part in the pilot program were Cedar Crest Golf Course in Dallas, The Clubs of Kingwood in Houston, Roy Kizer Golf Complex in Austin and Bull Creek Golf Course in Midland, Georgia.