For more than a decade, the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) have been working together to offer the innovative instructional golf program, Hook A Kid On Golf, to children who have previously never had the opportunity to play the game.
Once again this year hundreds of children all across the United States had the chance to experience the game of golf, in large part due to the financial assistance of the USGA. Any Hook A Kid On Golf site offering Hook A Kid On Golf Tee Level Clinics has the opportunity to receive a matching grant from the USGA, which is used to sponsor participants at no cost.
“The USGA grant enables a lot of children who would not otherwise get a chance to play golf to get involved,” said Todd Fleener, golf program coordinator for Cascades Golf Course (Ind.). “We’re now seeing an increase of families and kids coming to the golf course to play.”
This past summer Fleener, who has been running Hook A Kid On Golf clinics with the help of USGA grants since 2001, held golf camps for more than 40 children in his community.
“It gives them something to do that’s different,” Fleener said. “It’s something that they can do for the rest of their lives, not just for exercise but for business, and is a great family activity.”
Officially launched in 1991, Hook A Kid On Golf is a comprehensive youth golf program that not only teaches youngsters how to play the game, but also emphasizes golf’s rich history, rules and etiquette. The focus of the program is not only to provide children with a fun and productive activity, but also as a vehicle to impart valuable life skills and lessons.
“I believe the program increases self esteem and confidence,” said Jen Godbehere, recreation coordinator for Glendale Parks and Recreation (Ariz.), a Hook A Kid On Golf site since 1995. “It provides youth lessons for life that they can carry with them away from golf: self discipline, self respect and the importance of honesty.”
Thanks to the contribution of the USGA, each Hook A Kid On Golf participant is provided with a starter set of golf clubs and various other pieces of equipment needed to begin to learn the game. At the end of the clinic, youngsters get to keep their clubs and all their other materials, including a member bag tag that signifies their completion of the clinic.
“It’s paying off, more of the kids are sticking with it,” Fleener said. “The kids are kind of falling in love with the sport.”
Hook A Kid On Golf Tee Level Clinics are designed to provide an easy to follow format for any youth organization, recreation agency or golf course to use in setting up a week-long introductory golf clinic for first-time golfers. Tee Level Clinics are broken down into four days (three hours each day) of swing, putting and chipping instruction and one day of on-course play.
“The USGA’s generous matching grants have once again enabled hundreds of first-time golfers to experience this wonderful sport,” said Caitlin Autwell, director for Hook A Kid On Golf. “We look forward to another successful year of working with the USGA to provide meaningful golf experiences to children all over the country.”
To learn more about how to offer the USGA/Hook A Kid On Golf grant in your community, visit www.hookakidongolf.org or call NAYS headquarters at (800) 688-(KIDS).
