Current TGA owner partners to expand junior golf programs throughout south Seattle
Seattle, WA – When former financial executive, Brad Kirkpatrick, left that industry to launch his first TGA Premier Golf franchise in 2012, he knew the innovative grassroots model that is planting the seeds for the future and sweeping the nation would be very successful in the Seattle market.
“The TGA model has facilitated tremendous growth for introductory golf programs in our five years of existence in Seattle, said Kirkpatrick. “Expanding the business to South Snohomish County was a logical next step for me, and bringing on a partner who has been successful in other businesses allows me to accelerate our growth strategy and impact more communities and families.”
Joining Kirkpatrick on his latest junior golf expansion is Tom Spear, a successful Industrial Marine business owner, who was looking for another opportunity that could impact youth, including his own children. Together they are launching new TGA programs in South Snohomish County, which covers the communities of Bothell, Kirkland, Kenmore, Mill Creek, Mountlake Terrace, Edmonds, Shoreline, and Lynnwood. School districts now impacted include the previously unserved portions of Lake Washington, the entirety of the Shoreline, Edmonds, and North Shore districts, and parts of the Mukilteo and Everett School Districts.
“Golf is a sport of a lifetime and can have an impact on a youth’s life, as well as in business and social settings as they get older,” explained Spear. “To be able to provide that kind of opportunity for the community and grow the game is very gratifying, and to be able to partner with someone successful like Brad allows me to hit the ground running and grow the programs that much faster.”
TGA’s (Teach, Grow, Achieve) youth sports golf model has introduced over 650,000 youth (ages 5-13) to the sport to date serving more than 3,300 schools nationwide. In Seattle alone this includes 67 programs in 36 schools, which will be growing fast impacting over 7,000 kids per year over the next 3-5 years.
TGA’s innovative program solves the primary barriers to entry into golf by delivering introductory programs directly at schools and community centers through before- or after-school enrichment programs. The self-sustaining, no funding needed business model puts golf on a level playing field with other mainstream sports and creates a healthier and safer environment for students to be introduced to and learn golf. The program can also be utilized anywhere on school campuses regardless of weather, including gymnasiums, hallways, cafeterias, fields and blacktops.
What differentiates TGA is the station-based curriculum that includes golf skill progression, education subjects, and STEAM Labs, as well as physical fitness and health components.
TGA has also created the Player Pathway, the first program of its kind in the industry, which is having a major economic impact on its more than 250 golf course partners nationwide. Once the students go through the introductory programs, TGA transitions them and their families from the school to golf course partners through recreational programs such as summer camps (over 2,000 nationwide), leagues and parent-child events, which results in revenue from TGA as well as increased traffic, and incremental revenues through green fees, food/beverage, and merchandise sales.
Finally, through its own line of youth golf equipment, TGA provides age and height customized equipment for all students at no cost.
About TGA Premier Sports
TGA Premier Sports (TGA) is a leading introductory and recreational youth sports programming company specializing in Golf, Tennis and now Team Sports. Through an innovative franchise business model recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as a “Top 10 Franchise Value,” TGA empowers passionate entrepreneurs to impact the lives of youth and families by bringing youth sports enrichment programs into their communities.
TGA franchises can be found in more than 80 markets across 27 states, as well as internationally in Canada and Spain. Its continued growth has impacted over 700,000 youth and made these sports available to 1.75 million families. Future expansion strategies include the addition of 100 more franchises over the next two years, the addition of more sports, and impacting another one million youth through its education-based programs and the TGA Sports Foundation, which provides access for all children and promotes the physical, educational, social and character-building elements of these sports.
For more information about TGA Premier Sports, visit www.playtga.com or follow @TGA_Sports on Twitter.
Contact:
TGA of Greater Seattle- Snohomish County
Tom Spear – Owner/Territory Director
(206) 605-5657
tspear@playtga.com
www.playtga.com/greaterseattle
TGA Premier Sports
Kevin Frisch – Public Relations
(989) 614-0241
kevin@playtga.com
