Page 38 - Las Vegas Golf and Leisure Spring 2015
P. 38
[ GOLF]
PERSPECTIVE
The Junior Golf Landscape
BY ERIC DUTT
Happy 2015 to Nevada Golfers! competitive aspect of junior golf, held numer- try, more than 750 program locations, 800
Once again my thanks to Las ous tournaments throughout the year and involved school districts and 5300 involved
Vegas Golf & Leisure Magazine virtually all Las Vegas golf courses supported elementary schools, all of which exposed
and Ryan and Heidi Chackel for junior golf by hosting a junior event and junior golf to 455,000 young people with a total of
allowing the Nevada Golf Course clinics at their course during the year. The SN- more than 3.1 million young people being
Owners Association (NVGCOA) this space JGA developed many very good players who impacted by The First Tee. Since 1997, and as
to comment on the Nevada golf industry and went on to earn college scholarships and some of 2012, the First Tee has produced more than
the golf industry in general. ultimately played professionally. In the early 13,000 high school golfers and more than
This article will focus on the topic of junior 1990s, the SNJGA merged with the Las Vegas 1,600 college golfers.
golf, both in Las Vegas and nationally, its his- Inner City Youth Golf Association.
tory and what needs to be done to improve But, of all the young people exposed to the
the quality of the junior golf landscape in Las In the late 1990s, The First Tee concept game, how many are still playing the game
Vegas. Without new players coming into the was born and the SNJGA/Inner City Youth today? I manage golf courses and need NEW
game golf courses don’t have future consumers. Golf Association became a First Tee Chap- consumers entering and STAYING in the game.
My family moved to Las Vegas in 1964 and ter. The emphasis of the First Tee was to
shortly thereafter my brother and I took up the expose the game of golf to young people of And, since 1997 The First Tee has produced
game when our father began to play, and then all backgrounds with less of an emphasis on 1,600 college golfers, from a total outreach of
later another brother and my sister took up the competition. This became the new model for 7.6 million young people (according to the
game. At that time there were only two junior many of the junior golf associations through- 2012 First Tee Annual report). Not a very
golf tournaments in Las Vegas so we made fre- out the country. Many of the resources that good ratio of college players to young people
quent trips to play some 150 junior golf tour- at one time had gone into producing better exposed to the game, over a 15-year period, in
naments in Southern California. About 1970, players through a robust tournament sched- my opinion. The overall lack of emphasis from
the golf professionals at the old Winterwood ule now went to exposing the game of golf to the First Tee’s standpoint on competition is one
Golf Club formed the Winterwood Junior a broader cross section of young people. And of the contributing factors, though certainly
Golf Association, which ultimately became The First Tee has been successful in reaching not the only one as to why the number of very
the Southern Nevada Junior Golf Association young people of all demographics. According good junior players coming out of Las Vegas is
(SNJGA). This organization, focused on the to The First Tee’s 2012 Annual Report, there not at the number it should be when you factor
were 187 First Tee chapters across the coun- in the overall population and the number of
golf courses in Southern Nevada.
So, what’s the answer to attracting young
people to the game, creating good junior
players who have a shot of getting a college
scholarship and keeping these young players
playing golf after they reach their adult years
or finish college?
Access to Courses: Part of the solution is
getting back to the way it was years ago where
golf courses made their facilities available to
young people who wanted to learn the game,
and at times at NO CHARGE. Most courses
are NOT busy after 2 p.m. so why not let
juniors come out and play and practice? I’ve
recently opened Rio Secco up to both the Del
Webb and Miller middle schools and their golf
programs, and it’s fun to see all the juniors at
the course on certain afternoons. Certain other
Las Vegas golf courses are very generous in
allowing junior golfers the ability to play and
practice free or at a greatly reduced rate.
Exposure to the Game: This is where I feel
the First Tee of Southern Nevada needs to
refocus their energy. Get in front of kids 8 to
12 years of age, from all walks of life, and get a
36 LV G &L S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 LASVEGASGOLFANDLEISURE.COM
PERSPECTIVE
The Junior Golf Landscape
BY ERIC DUTT
Happy 2015 to Nevada Golfers! competitive aspect of junior golf, held numer- try, more than 750 program locations, 800
Once again my thanks to Las ous tournaments throughout the year and involved school districts and 5300 involved
Vegas Golf & Leisure Magazine virtually all Las Vegas golf courses supported elementary schools, all of which exposed
and Ryan and Heidi Chackel for junior golf by hosting a junior event and junior golf to 455,000 young people with a total of
allowing the Nevada Golf Course clinics at their course during the year. The SN- more than 3.1 million young people being
Owners Association (NVGCOA) this space JGA developed many very good players who impacted by The First Tee. Since 1997, and as
to comment on the Nevada golf industry and went on to earn college scholarships and some of 2012, the First Tee has produced more than
the golf industry in general. ultimately played professionally. In the early 13,000 high school golfers and more than
This article will focus on the topic of junior 1990s, the SNJGA merged with the Las Vegas 1,600 college golfers.
golf, both in Las Vegas and nationally, its his- Inner City Youth Golf Association.
tory and what needs to be done to improve But, of all the young people exposed to the
the quality of the junior golf landscape in Las In the late 1990s, The First Tee concept game, how many are still playing the game
Vegas. Without new players coming into the was born and the SNJGA/Inner City Youth today? I manage golf courses and need NEW
game golf courses don’t have future consumers. Golf Association became a First Tee Chap- consumers entering and STAYING in the game.
My family moved to Las Vegas in 1964 and ter. The emphasis of the First Tee was to
shortly thereafter my brother and I took up the expose the game of golf to young people of And, since 1997 The First Tee has produced
game when our father began to play, and then all backgrounds with less of an emphasis on 1,600 college golfers, from a total outreach of
later another brother and my sister took up the competition. This became the new model for 7.6 million young people (according to the
game. At that time there were only two junior many of the junior golf associations through- 2012 First Tee Annual report). Not a very
golf tournaments in Las Vegas so we made fre- out the country. Many of the resources that good ratio of college players to young people
quent trips to play some 150 junior golf tour- at one time had gone into producing better exposed to the game, over a 15-year period, in
naments in Southern California. About 1970, players through a robust tournament sched- my opinion. The overall lack of emphasis from
the golf professionals at the old Winterwood ule now went to exposing the game of golf to the First Tee’s standpoint on competition is one
Golf Club formed the Winterwood Junior a broader cross section of young people. And of the contributing factors, though certainly
Golf Association, which ultimately became The First Tee has been successful in reaching not the only one as to why the number of very
the Southern Nevada Junior Golf Association young people of all demographics. According good junior players coming out of Las Vegas is
(SNJGA). This organization, focused on the to The First Tee’s 2012 Annual Report, there not at the number it should be when you factor
were 187 First Tee chapters across the coun- in the overall population and the number of
golf courses in Southern Nevada.
So, what’s the answer to attracting young
people to the game, creating good junior
players who have a shot of getting a college
scholarship and keeping these young players
playing golf after they reach their adult years
or finish college?
Access to Courses: Part of the solution is
getting back to the way it was years ago where
golf courses made their facilities available to
young people who wanted to learn the game,
and at times at NO CHARGE. Most courses
are NOT busy after 2 p.m. so why not let
juniors come out and play and practice? I’ve
recently opened Rio Secco up to both the Del
Webb and Miller middle schools and their golf
programs, and it’s fun to see all the juniors at
the course on certain afternoons. Certain other
Las Vegas golf courses are very generous in
allowing junior golfers the ability to play and
practice free or at a greatly reduced rate.
Exposure to the Game: This is where I feel
the First Tee of Southern Nevada needs to
refocus their energy. Get in front of kids 8 to
12 years of age, from all walks of life, and get a
36 LV G &L S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 LASVEGASGOLFANDLEISURE.COM
