Capitalizing on a successful 2020 introductory campaign in San Antonio, the highly popular, nationwide Youth On Course program will expand throughout Texas in 2021.
The program that allows junior golfers aged 6-17 to play golf for $5 or less at participating courses got its start in Northern California back in 2006. The Northern California Golf Association noticed although plenty of youth programs had begun teaching juniors the basics of the game, those same youngsters weren’t able to practice their new skills by playing rounds of golf because of the cost involved.
To solve the problem, the NCGA started allowing juniors to play Poppy Hills Golf Course, which is the home base for the association, for just $5. They called the program Youth On Course.
Since then, the program has grown to include more than 100,000 members throughout the U.S. and Canada and 1,400+ courses where they can play golf for $5 or less. To date, the nonprofit organization has subsidized more than 1.3 million rounds of golf for its members, thanks to the generosity of its donors.
“Providing young people with access to play golf affordably has been as important as ever this year,” said Michael Lowe, VP of Programs for YOC. “With so many sports and recreational activities being unavailable during the pandemic, playing golf has helped our members safely stay active, socialize, relieve stress and spend time in nature. We're thankful for all of our course partners in San Antonio this year and look forward to Youth on Course continuing to grow throughout Texas in 2021.”
YOC came to Texas in January of this year. Eleven San Antonio courses helped more than 450 juniors receive access to rounds of golf for $5 or less. The program yielded an excess of 1,700 rounds played by juniors, which helped the participating courses in several ways. The TGA Foundation paid a subsidy to the course for each round played.
In addition to helping the next generation of golfers play more rounds for less cost, the participating YOC courses were able to fill their unused rounds by designating tee times that are more difficult to fill for kids. The courses gained revenue from rounds, in part through the TGA’s subsidies, and those course operators reported that at least 60% of the time, a parent or guardian joined the junior golfer and paid full price for their round.
The courses also gained revenue through food and beverage purchases from the YOC members and their parents. Finally, the courses gained greater brand awareness through the nationwide YOC network and promotions while developing a young, loyal future customer base.
If you’re a decision-maker at a TGA Member Club and would like more information on how to get involved with YOC, please click here or send an email to the Managing Director of the TGA Foundation Kelly Kilgo.
Individual golfers can support YOC, too! Make a difference in the development of junior golfers in your area with a general donation, which will be used to subsidize rounds played at participating YOC courses.
If you’d like to become a YOC sponsor, the TGA can develop custom packages to create a win-win scenario for your company or an individual. Packages can include advertisement, promotion, YOC discounts for your employees' junior golfers and more through the TGA Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Contact Kelly Kilgo for more information.