One of the PGA of America’s proudest moments in hosting the Ryder Cup in New York was the opportunity to honor several military Veterans who have embraced golf as a form of therapy while participating in PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), the flagship military program of the PGA of America REACH Foundation.
During Ryder Cup Week, we shined a bright light on our Veterans through various fundraising activities, volunteer involvement, the Ryder Cup Captain’s Challenge and charitable contributions through the Ryder Cup Shops and memorabilia auctions. In all, 35 military Veterans who have graduated from PGA HOPE served as Ryder Cup volunteers at Bethpage Black in various capacities.
It was an honor to share Ryder Cup Week with America’s heroes, and it is a testament to the great work of the PGA of America REACH Foundation, the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America. The Foundation’s mission is to positively im pact the lives of youth, military and underserved populations by providing access to PGA of America Golf Professionals, PGA Sections and the game.
This month’s PGA Magazine cover story takes a deep dive into the PGA of America REACH Foundation, showcasing all of the programs that are making a difference. You will read about fellow PGA of America Members, Association leaders and program experts on PGA HOPE, PGA Jr. League and PGA WORKS best practices that are achieving success.
Leading the way is PGA HOPE, which now has more than 650 locations and is offered in all 50 states. Led by PGA of America Golf Professionals, this inspiring program introduces and teaches golf to Veterans and active-duty military, and is proven to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being. In fact, since its inception in 2015, PGA HOPE has impacted more than 50,000 Veterans, and it’s truly changing and saving the lives of our Veteran community.
Complementing PGA HOPE is PGA Jr. League, the flagship youth pillar program of the PGA of America REACH Foundation, which has enjoyed tremendous success in making the game accessible to every child everywhere in a fun, competitive team format. In 2024, PGA Jr. League reached an exciting milestone surpassing 500,000 lifetime registrations, while the program experienced a record 79,000 player registrations in 2025. Equally important, nearly 5,000 PGA Jr. League Scholarships were awarded to children who qualified for financial assistance or were from a military family.
The final pillar of the PGA of America REACH Foundation is PGA WORKS, a strategic initiative designed to diversify the golf industry’s workforce, which leverages fellowships, scholarships, career exploration events and the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship to inspire and engage talent from all backgrounds to pursue key employment positions across the golf industry. These programs are proving to be successful. In fact, since its inception in 2018, PGA WORKS has provided $744,000 in scholarship support to students nationwide.
We’re also excited about the new six-year partnership between the PGA of America REACH Foundation and Kohler Co. to support the PGA WORKS program and its Collegiate Champion ship. Backed by Nina Kohler serving as chair of the Foundation, this partnership will enjoy enhanced support for the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship, including Whistling Straits as host site in 2025 and 2029. The company is also the presenting sponsor for the Beyond the Green career event, which helps college students learn about career opportunities in the golf industry. Further, Kohler will provide scholarship grants for golf programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which is tremendous.
Thanks to PGA of America Golf Professionals and our 41 Sections, we have the power to connect REACH programming to communities from coast-to-coast and utilize the game to positively impact lives. These programs are making a real difference and it’s rewarding to see our members doing great work by using the game to inspire others.
Thank you to everyone who embraces the PGA of America REACH Foundation programs and God bless!
Sincerely,
Don Rea Jr., PGA President, PGA of America