The nonprofit’s 2013, “Little Golf, Big Purpose” events to be played at six prominent Orlando area courses to raise funds for future national expansion. Show your support today.
Deltona, FL, May 27, 2013: “After last year’s first 100 hole marathon and nearly $13,000 raised we are very hopeful that we will be able to have a very, very fruitful go at it in our 2013 campaign” Explains PGA Professional and Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development founder, Brendon Elliott. “It is indeed a very tough existence for nonprofit organizations in today’s day and age. Many people want to give but just don’t have the means to do so. Despite this, we are hopeful that the golf community will come out to support us, either by taking part, making a pledge, donating prizes or spreading the word” adds Elliott.
The Events
The “Little Golf, Big Purpose” 100 Hole Marathon had its inaugural event in 2012 at Orange Lake Resorts Legends Walk course. For 2013, the fundraising effort will grow to a six event “series” which will benefit the Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development. The marathons will be played at the following Central Florida courses:
June 17th – Harmony Golf Preserve
June 30th – Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes
July 7th – Reunion Resort
July 8th – Heathrow Country Club
July 22nd – West Orange Country Club
July 28th – Orange Lake Resort – Legends Walk Course
Those that choose to play will pledge to play 100 holes of golf at any of the locations listed above. You can play two balls for 50 holes should you prefer. All those interested in playing will register through the http://littlelinksters.org/home/little-linksters/ website. Once registered, a participant will create their own personal fundraising showcase page. On this page they will find tools that will help them broadcast to the world their fundraising efforts and channel folks to their fundraising page where donations can be made. It is suggested that emailing friends, family and co-workers and broadcasting through social media is the best way to direct traffic to a participant’s personal page.
Donors will be able to contribute with credit card or Paypal directly to the participant and this cause. All money collection, thank you letters, and tax receipts are handled automatically online. All they need to do is go play some golf! All donations are 100% tax deductible and all donors will receive a tax receipt and thank you letter automatically through the website.
The fee for participation is $0 for anyone raising over $1,000. Otherwise the fee will be $65 at Orange Lake Resort or $115 at all other facilities. These fees must be paid by way of making a starting donation in the appropriate amount to the participant’s personal fundraising page.
Top fundraisers can earn great prizes. Current prizes include:
• 2013 Solheim Cup Package (2 Ping Pavilion Weekly Passes, 2 Hats, Framed Commemorative Poster Signed by Captains Meg Mallon & Dottie Pepper)
• Two Weekly Ground Badges to the 2013 PGA Championship @ Oak Hill
• Two Weekly Grounds & Clubhouse Badges to the 2014 Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Two Weekly Badges to the 2014 Honda Classic
• 2 Hr Private Lesson w/ Sean Foley
• 1 Hr Private Lesson @ PGA Tour Academy @ Sawgrass w/ Director of Instruction Travis Fulton
• EA Sports Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2014
• The Ultimate Fitting Experience! A Full Fitting @ The Taylormade Fitting Lab @ Grand Cypress
• The Ultimate Fitting Experience! A Full Fitting @ The Taylormade Fitting Lab @ Grand Cypress
• Optishot Home Golf Simulator
• NEW Nike VR S Driver
• NEW STX Putter
• NEW STX Putter
• Sundog Sunglasses from Paula Creamer Collection (3 Pair)
• Sundog Sunglasses from Men’s Core Golf Collection (3 Pair)
• Set of Golf Pride Grips
• Ashworth Shirts
• Signed Arnold Palmer Book
• Signed Tom Watson 2014 Ryder Cup Flag
• Rounds of Golf @ Various AWESOME Courses such as the Ritz Carlton (Orlando) & the Ritz Carlton Members Club (Sarasota) (COMPLETE LIST COMING SOON)
• The Littlest Golfer Inc. Gift Pack
• Orlando Magic Signed Team Ball
• My Mini Golf Club Set
• Restaurant Coupons (Orlando area)
• MUCH MORE TO COME……
An ever updating prize list for 2013 will be posted on the http://littlelinksters.org/home/little-linksters/ website very soon.
“We have more companies showing interest in donating prizes such as Cobra/ Puma and others. We are really looking for a few more major prizes such as golf vacations, golf school vacations, equipment, autographed items, restaurant certificates and more. Prizes that we do not give away at the end of the events will be auctioned off to help raise funds” Says Elliott.
How Businesses & Individuals Can Help…
“The Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development is also looking for hole sponsors for only $500, and that is good for all six events” explains Elliott. “We are also looking for one or two Title Sponsors for $5,000 each. We can provide complete details on the benefits to your business for showing such generosity to our mission should you become a title sponsor.”
If you are interested in helping, you can contact The Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development at nonprofit@littlelinksters.com or call 321-278-1611
You can also make an individual donation by going to the following link: http://littlelinksters.org/home/little-linksters/2013/players/brendon-elliott/
“We were very pleased to have recently had Mr. Raymond Floyd donate $5 a hole and Mr. Gary Player, through his Foundation donate $10 a hole” said Elliott “We hope to gain more support before time runs short in this year’s event time frame.”
NEW for 2013…
Scholastic Golf Team Players or Supporters
High School Golf teams and their supporters can help Little Linksters too and raise money for their teams at the same time!
All those registering as scholastic golf team players or supporters agree to the following:
Anyone representing a scholastic golf team will need to indicate their allegiance in the registration process. We need to know where to send your money! They may select any of the provided golf courses on the dates listed, or if preferable, the team may decide to play at their home course.
Net proceeds will be distributed as follows:
50% – To your team
50% – To Little Linksters Junior Golf
PGA Member & Apprentice Program (Now Nationwide)
PGA Members and apprentices nationwide can help in the Little Linksters fundraising mission. In doing so, you can help your own PGA Section in the process.
Anyone representing a PGA Section other than the North Florida Section PGA will need to indicate their allegiance in the registration process. We need to know where to send your money! You may select any of the provided golf courses on the dates listed, or if preferable, you may decide to play at your home course, or wherever you like.
Register your fundraising page through the LittleLinksters.org website (click Player Registration at the top left of the main website homepage: http://littlelinksters.org/home/little-linksters/), then let everyone know about your efforts. We suggest emailing and broadcasting through social media to direct traffic to your personal page. Donors will be able to contribute with credit card or Paypal directly to you and your cause.
All donations are 100% tax deductible and all donors will receive a tax receipt and thank you letter automatically through the website.
All players raising over $1,000 will be eligible for 8 MSR Points and complimentary green fees during your marathon on any of our presenting golf courses. Otherwise, green fee for Orange Lake Resort is $65 and other facilities will be $115. Alternatively, you may elect to play any golf course on any day you choose, subject to whatever green fee that particular golf course will charge (if any).
Net proceeds will be distributed as follows:
30% – To the North Florida Section PGA’s (or your home Section’s) Junior Golf related initiatives
70% – To Little Linksters Junior Golf
Little Linksters NEW Scholarship Program…
The Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development is very happy to announce their new “Scholarship” program! Parents, Grandparents and friends of children ages three to eight that want to take part in Little Linksters programming can also raise money through this fundraising site in 2013. The money raised for the children will be earmarked for them to use towards Little Linksters instruction programs and the Little Linksters “Tour” series.
Anyone engaging the Little Linksters fundraising website for the purpose of raising scholarship money will need to indicate such in the registration process. You or your child will not need to play in the 100 hole marathons, therefore you will not need to select a golf course.
Once a child is registered and their personal fundraising page is set, let everyone know about your efforts! We suggest emailing and broadcasting through social media to direct traffic to your child’s personal page. Donors will be able to contribute with credit card or Paypal directly to you and your Little Linksters participation fees.
All donations are 100% tax deductible and all donors will receive a tax receipt and thank you letter automatically through the website.
Funds raised will be distributed as follows:
All net proceeds go to your child’s own Little Linkster account
Other stipulations include:
• Money raised for a scholarship student can be used for any Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development program or tour event.
• Unused donations raised for each student can be transferred to another child that would like to join in our programming.
• Any monies raised for a scholarship student that is not used or transferred to another student after one year will be used to support other program costs.
More about the Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development
Since July of 2008, the Little Linksters Golf program has brought the game of golf to a typically non-traditional sect of the golfing population; the “Pee-Wee” Golfer (Ages 3-8). The Little Linksters Golf Program is a great introduction to the game of golf for all children in this age group. The program is taught in a fun and interactive way using a combination of both traditional golf instruction methods and very non-traditional ways. The bottom line with the Little Linksters program is FUN!
The program is run by PGA Golf Professional Brendon Elliott. Brendon is the former General Manager/Head Golf Professional at the historic Winter Park Country Club located in downtown Winter Park, FL. Elliott was with WPCC for 13 years. He resigned from his position in July of 2011 to focus solely on the expansion of Little Linksters. Brendon, along with his wife Melisa are the owners of Little Linksters, LLC and the Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development which is their 501c3 Non-Profit organization. The home office of the company is in Deltona, FL.
In August of 2011, in a second phase of expansion, the Little Linksters Golf Academy @ Metrowest Golf Club located in Orlando, FL was opened.
The Little Linksters “mobile” program which is ran by the Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development, has been run at various daycare centers, schools, and municipalities in the Winter Park, FL, Lake Mary, FL and Deltona, FL areas since July of 2008. “Expansion of the program is in the works” said PGA Golf Professional Brendon Elliott, the founder and lead instructor of Little Linksters, LLC. “After almost four years of running our “pilot” or “test” programs, we have started taking steps toward taking this central Florida based, part-time business and program to a broader, national market. In early 2010, we re-branded, created an easy to follow program guide/coloring book and started putting a great package together for other PGA and LPGA Professionals to eventual purchase an implement in their area so that they too may be able to share in the rewarding work of bringing golf and all of the lessons that it teaches to the littlest of golfers. The time frame now to launch our “National Program” will be sometime in late 2013Ì¢?å_ said Elliott.
The Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development will be the vehicle that will launch the acclaimed Little Linksters Golf Program to areas nationwide in late 2013.
Elliott, is a 2010, 2011 & 2012 US Kids Golf Top 50 Kids Teacher, a 2012 Top 50 Growth of the Game Instructor as named by the Golf Range Association of America, the 2011, 2012 & 2013 ECC Junior Golf Leader and the 2011, 2012 & 2013 NFPGA Junior Golf Leader award winner. He was a finalist for the PGA’s National Junior Leader award in 2012 and was recently named a finalist once again for 2013. The award will be given out later in the year.
Elliott was recently a guest on air on the Golf Channels Morning Drive along with Dottie Pepper and Alan Wronowski. The threesome spoke on many different junior golf initiatives that are available to children of all ages. You can see a clip of Elliott’s appearance here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUaLx2p7tO8
Elliott is the Vice President of the East Central Chapter of the NFPGA Section. He is also a NFPGA Section Board member. He is Chairman of the ECC Junior Golf Committee as well as the NFPGA Junior Golf Committee. Brendon also is a member of the PGA of America’s 2012-2014 National Youth Player Development Committee and the 2012-2014 Public Relations & Communications Committee.
Little Linksters, LLC
Oversees the following:
• The Little Linksters Golf Academy at Metrowest (Private Lessons)
• Private Lessons at other places (In-Home lessons, Glen Abbey GC and other area courses)
• Online Instruction
• Sales of the Little Linksters Coloring Book
• Consulting
Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development (501c3)
Oversees the following:
• The Little Linksters “Mobile” Program (At locations throughout Central FL)
• The Little Linksters “Tour” Series
• The Best Pee Wee Swing in the Workd Video Contest
• Soon to launch “National Certification Program”
• Speaking on and Promoting Junior Golf for younger kids
The goal of Little Linksters, LLC and the Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development is to provide children from ages three years to eight years of age with quality introductory golf instruction and to expose them to all of the wonderful life lessons that the wonderful game of golf teaches us all. “Although our target group is children ages three through eight, we will not limit ourselves solely to those age groups. Additionally, Little Linksters will strive to be a leader in the “Pee-Wee” golf arena and provide tools and information to all PGA Professionals, educators and parents that share in our vision. To accomplish our goal, we will provide services and products at reasonable rates, be responsive to the needs of our customers, and make ourselves available as much as possible to our patrons” Elliott states.
The mission statement of the Little Linksters program:
“Through a fun and friendly learning environment, students will accomplish three major goals; which in turn will produce a passion and respect for the game of golf. Through vigorous efforts each player will learn; how the game teaches real life lessons (patience, integrity, respect, honesty and friendship), how to master the basic fundamentals of the golf, and finally how to enjoy the experience that the game of golf offers”
PGA & LPGA Professionals interested in learning how they can get involved, become a Little Linksters “Certified Instructor” and offer Little Linksters programs in their area can go here: http://littlelinksters.com/history/certified-instructo-information-pga-lpga/
If you are a business or individual interested in become a sponsor or partner you can go here: http://littlelinksters.com/new-partnership-opportunities/
Contact:
Melisa Elliott
Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development
Phone 321-278-1611
NonProfit@LittleLinksters.com
PO Box 6384
Deltona, FL
Phone 386-532-9639
www.LittleLinksters.com