Local youth introduced to golf through PGA Jr. League at The Ronny Golf Park at PGA Frisco
Editors: For photos of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Collin County PGA Jr. League, click here.
FRISCO, Texas – Youth from the Frisco Chapter of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Collin County enjoyed the culmination of their first PGA Jr. League season at the Northern Texas PGA Section’s The Ronny Golf Park at PGA Frisco, with their final session held Monday, July 24.
After meeting at “The Ronny” on a weekly basis throughout June and July, nearly 50 local boys and girls learned the fundamentals of the game, how to work as a team and other life-improving skills that come with playing golf, such as honesty, integrity and sportsmanship.
PGA Jr. League brings kids ages 17 and under together to learn and play golf on co-ed teams, wear numbered jerseys, and receive expert coaching from PGA and LPGA Professionals. It is the flagship youth pillar program of PGA REACH—the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America that was established to positively impact the lives of youth, military, and diverse populations by enabling access to PGA Professionals, PGA Sections and the game of golf.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Collin County players have been able to participate in this PGA Jr. League program thanks to the PGA Jr. League Scholarship Fund through PGA REACH. The PGA Jr. League Scholarship Fund exists to provide children everywhere with the opportunity to learn, play and love the game of golf. The Scholarship Fund is opening doors for families to create lifelong memories through experiences that transcend golf.
“The Boys & Girls Clubs of Collin County reached out to us, and we thought PGA Jr. League would be a great way to introduce kids in the community to the game of golf,” said PGA REACH Lead Rich Richeson, PGA. “We wanted to create a good environment for the kids, and The Ronny Golf Park is perfect for that. The Northern Texas PGA Section does a great job teaching the kids.”
“The Northern Texas PGA Foundation was built on the mission of positively impacting lives and communities through golf, and the opening of The Ronny Golf Park late last year provided us with new and creative ways to fulfill that mission,” said Northern Texas PGA Section Executive Director Kelly Gilley, PGA. “Seeing the Boys and Girls Clubs of Collin County experience PGA Jr. League on our campus has been so meaningful. We hope their experience here will spur them on to play more golf, whether it be competitively on one of our junior tours or socially.”
Led by PGA Professionals Chad Moscovic, PGA and Hanna Dickens, players’ ages ranged from five to 17. Some had experienced golf already, but for many, it was their first time picking up a club.
“I definitely like it, I’m having a lot of fun.” said Kenzie P., age 8. “The best part of playing golf is getting Skittles, if we get into the hole.”
“I’ve been playing golf for a little while,” said 10 year-old Hampton J. “It’s very fun. My favorite is the driver. I like to hit it as hard as I can, and make it go far.”
Monday at The Ronny Golf Park concluded the first PGA Jr. League Session for the Frisco Chapter, with plans already in the works to include other Boys & Girls Club Chapters within Collin County in the future.
“It’s exciting to be out here watching our kids,” said Boys & Girls Clubs of Collin County Interim CEO Torsten Seifert. “The kids love it, they talk about it all the time, and they are having a blast. We never thought about having an opportunity like this, working together with the PGA to offer golf lessons for the kids, and we are looking forward to expanding the partnership going forward.”
Media Contacts:
Jesse Dodson, PGA of America, jdodson@pgahq.com, (801) 995-0684
Molly Rawlins, Northern Texas PGA, mrawlins@ntpga.com, (214) 379-1296
Jonathan Deutsch, Tony Fay PR, jonathan@tonyfaypr.com, (469) 534-8525
ABOUT PGA REACH
PGA Foundation, Inc. d/b/a PGA REACH is the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America. The mission of PGA REACH is to Impact Lives Through Golf. For more information, visit PGAREACH.org, follow @PGAREACH on Twitter and Instagram, and find us on Facebook.
ABOUT PGA JR. LEAGUE
PGA Jr. League brings families and friends together around fun, team golf experiences for kids ages 17 and under, with expert coaching from PGA Professionals. Visit PGAJrLeague.com for more information, and follow @PGAJrLeague on Facebook, Twitter,Instagram and YouTube.
ABOUT THE NORTHERN TEXAS PGA SECTION
The Northern Texas PGA is one of 41 Sections of the PGA of America. Its geographic territory includes the State of Texas north of the 31st latitude, or just north of Austin. Nine hundred PGA Members and Associates employed at more than 300 facilities comprise this Section. Northern Texas PGA headquarters are located on the PGA Frisco campus and feature state-of-the-art office space, a growth of the game pavilion and a golf park designed for junior golfers.
ABOUT THE NORTHERN TEXAS PGA FOUNDATION
Founded in 1983, the nationally acclaimed Northern Texas PGA Junior Golf Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization, was rebranded in 2019 as the Northern Texas PGA Foundation. The Northern Texas PGA Foundation focuses on five pillars: junior golf, college scholarships, inclusion, internships and military & veterans. The Northern Texas PGA Foundation is governed by the Northern Texas PGA Board of Directors and is supported by the Northern Texas PGA Foundation Trustees.
ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF COLLIN COUNTY
Since 1969, Boys & Girls Clubs of Collin County (BGCCC) has been addressing the needs of youth and creating great futures in North Texas. Our mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. BGCCC provides ‘out-of-school’ programming at eight locations, available to all youth between ages 5-18. From the age of five, we have 4,380 days to shape, mold, guide, and prepare our youth for their future before they turn eighteen. In 2022, we served more than 4,800 members with a daily average of 475 of our local youth choosing the hope and opportunity that our Blue Doors represent. Our highly qualified and trained staff work with our youth daily to offer engaging activities that reinforce Academic Success, Good Character & Citizenship, and Healthy Lifestyles. Our mission is to inspire and empower all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. By 2030, we will provide a world-class, affordable and accessible Club Experience to 14,000 of the Collin County youth, with all members on track to graduate high school with a plan for the future, practical life skills, demonstrating good character, citizenship, and a healthy lifestyle.
