Teaching life skills through golf (Contra Costa Times)

Oakland Tribune Columnist Tammerlin Drummond recently wrote an article about Sistas on the Links and the Richmond Youth on Course Program. The article details the impact the program is having on the community and the Richmond Country Club.

Read the full article

Letter from Paul Morton, NCGA Foundation President

Dear NCGA Members,

Five years ago, everything I knew about the NCGA fit in my back pocket it was the card that had my handicap on it.

Today, I have a much better sense of our Association, which provides a range of member benefits and competitive opportunities a roster second to none, as you might expect from one of the largest regional golf associations in the country.

Here’s something you might not expect: the NCGA Foundation, operating as the charitable arm of the Association, is changing lives. That’s right-no hyperbole here-we have already reached some 30,000 kids, using golf to offer development opportunities to deserving youth. And kids are saying “yes” to that opportunity. It’s all under the umbrella of our program, Youth on Course.

The Millennials: Youth Development, Golf, Philanthropy

Northern California natives Jason Goldman, Matthew Goldman and Chris Qvale discuss their passion for golf and the need to share this passion with Northern California’s youth. They feel that giving back and supporting worthwhile causes is crucial to making the world a better place. Join them in helping to get Youth on Course.

San Mateo Clinic Visits the Public Library!

The very first San Mateo Youth on Course clinic took place at the San Mateo Public Library on September 15, 2011. The youth participants are students from the Bayside STEM Academy and with the support of the George Archer Memorial Foundation for Literacy, the San Mateo Public Library and Youth on Course came together to provide literacy enhancing activities for the youth.

In addition to getting a behind the scenes tour of the library, the youth completed a literary scavenger hunt to collect facts about golf and its history prior to teeing it up at the Burlingame Golf Center in Mariner’s Point.

34,341 YOC Rounds Played this Year!

We are happy to announce that 34,341 rounds of golf have been played by Youth on Course members at participating facilities so far this year! June and July were the peak months of the season with 6,360 and 6,408 rounds respectively.

Youth on Course members must complete a life skills and values curriculum through a certified program or through the online curriculum. They play for no more than $5 at participating facilities.

Thank you to the partner facilities for supporting Northern California’s youth! A list of participating facilities may be found here. Youth on Course is made possible by the generous support of our donors.

San Jose Clinic Launched

Students from the Sacred Heart Nativity Schools endured 95 degree heat for the first 2011-2012 Youth on Course clinic at San Jose Country Club. Yesterday’s clinic was the first exposure that most of the students have had to golf. In addition to learning the fundamentals of safety, grip, posture and the take away, the students took some time to reflect upon how important values relate to both golf and life. Yesterday’s values were inclusion and integrity. More information about the Foundation’s Clinic program is available here.

Thank You Richmond Country Club!

The NCGA Foundation’s Club Enrollment Program is one of the many ways to support deserving youth throughout Northern California. In addition to hosting a Youth on Course Clinic this year, Richmond Country Club has enrolled in the program. Collectively, the membership has come together on behalf of youth.

Frys.com Open at CordeValle – Oct 3-9

The PGA Tour and Tiger Woods come to CordeValle Oct. 3-9 for the Frys.com Open. NCGA members can purchase tickets with a portion of the proceeds going to the NCGA Foundation’s Youth on Course program. Children 14 and under are FREE with an accompanying paid adult! Click here to buy Frys.com tickets.

Summer Newsletter Now Available

The NCGA Foundation’s summer newsletter is now available for download. Featured in this edition are a spotlight on Honorary Board member Dave Baker, an update on new partnerships and locations for the clinic program, announcement of scholarship recipients, intern placements, upcoming events and much more. Download your copy today!

NCGA Foundation Pro-Am (Spyglass Hill GC)

The NCGA Foundation held its ninth annual Pro-Am on Friday, August 19 at Spyglass Hill in Pebble Beach. Proceeds from the Club Car-sponsored event will help youth in Northern California develop life skills and values though the Foundation’s Youth on Course program.

Unlike other youth golf programs, Youth on Course focuses on an entire continuum of services that allows participants to play affordably while building self-esteem through clinics, mentoring, internships and scholarships. The Foundation also partners with local organizations to identify youth in underserved communities that rarely have the ability to experience outside educational and recreational opportunities.

Four-man teams were paired with a local professional in a modified shamble format in which each team selected the best drive of all five members. Each individual then played his or her own ball from there through the completion of the hole.

The participants were introduced to Sebastian Crampton and Skyler Finnell, two of the Foundation’s Youth on Course members who have taken on a mentor role for other deserving youth. Crampton and Finnell hit tee shots of the par-3 twelfth and fifteenth holes respectively and teams had the option of playing the mentor’s ball. Crampton is one of the state’s top junior golfers and made the round of 16 in the NCGA Amateur Match Play Championship held this week at Spyglass Hill.

The Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund team won the Pro-Am gross title with a 60. Team members included Ken Flax, Stephen Jaeger, Doug Goldman, David Friedman and professional Mitch Lowe. Viking Steel finished second, two strokes back. Dan Hansford, Bob Nebozuk, Steve Berg, Brian Morse and professional Eric Mina made up the Viking Steel team.

The Assurant Employee Benefits team captured the net title, posting a 51 with the aid of professional Chris Bitticks. Team members were Josh Brewster, Fred Cook, Tom Hughes and Jim Bice. The Water Klip Group, whose team members included Weldon Wasson, Mike Hexner, Mark Rosen, Tim Stevens and professional David Halldorson, took second after carding a 53.

Mitch Lowe fired a 68 to win the professional division. Rick Leibovich netted second place with a 71 while Eric Mina was third with a 72.

Peter Hay Clinic

2010 Annual Report Now Available for Download

Mission: “Provide deserving youth the opportunity to develop life skills and values through golf”

The mission of the NCGA Foundation is to provide deserving youth the opportunity to develop life skills and values through golf. The Foundation puts this mission into action through the award winning Youth on Course program which offers a comprehensive continuum of services for Northern California’s youth to learn the lessons that the sport and golf industry have to offer. These offerings include affordable access to golf for green fees of no more than $5 at over 115 participating courses, introductory clinics, internships, and university scholarships. To learn more about the impact of the NCGA Foundation and Youth on Course download the 2010 Annual Report here.

Donor Spotlight: Donna Lowe and Lake Merced Golf Club

Donna M. Lowe, CCM, General Manager - Lake Merced Golf Club

Click here to learn about the collaborative efforts of Lake Merced Golf Club and the NCGA Foundation.

YOC Members Compete in NCGA Stroke Play

The 8th Annual NCGA Stroke play was contested at Poppy Hills Golf Course July 15-17. A total of 6 Youth on Course members qualified for this year’s event. Complete tournament results are available here.

Qualifying was held June 10th at six sites for players who have an index of 5.4 or less:

YOC Clinics

Poppy Hills hosts YOC Clinic
July 13, 2011

PEBBLE BEACH – This week the NCGA Foundation is partnering with the Friendship Baptist Church of Seaside at Poppy Hills Golf Course, providing golf instruction for deserving youth.

YOC kids learning how to hit a bunker shot

The event is held from 10:00-1:00 each day with foundation staff members, Poppy Hills’ staff and Friendship Baptist leaders coordinating the event. Trained Hills’ golf professionals are providing the golf instruction, while others highlight life skills training.

The weeklong event is just one of seven different Youth on Course clinics held throughout the calendar year.  Youth on Course partners with a community leader and a golf course for each event and subsequently organizes a date for participation.

“The main objective of these clinics is to expose kids, who otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to interact with successful adults to teach them life skills and values,” said Adam Heieck, the executive director of the NCGA Foundation.

Dave Baker – Promoting the Integrity of the Game

Work hard and succeed, but never at the expense of your integrity.

Honorary Board Member Dave Baker shares why he supports the NCGA Foundation in the Donor Spotlight. Read the rest of Dave’s message here.

YOC Internship at Poppy Hills

Applications are due on Friday, July 1st for the Youth on Course Internship program at Poppy Hills golf course. Click here to view the job description and download the application materials.

This program is designed to provide high school juniors and seniors with professional development opportunities within the golf industry at top facilities.

The internship program is eight weeks in duration and will teach interns about all aspects of a golf facility’s operations include Golf Shop Operations, Outside Services, Food and Beverage, and Golf Course Maintenance.

Counting Steps in Sacramento

Did you know that there are 1760 yards in a mile or that you would burn approximately 381.7 calories by walking the length of the Wildhawk Golf Club in Sacramento? The Youth on Course Clinic participants in Sacramento learned how to calculate this information on Wednesday which helped them tie math and golf to their physical fitness.

After completing the exercises, the youth were provided with a pedometer to help them measure their steps which will give them data to calculate how far they walk and the amount of calories they burn. Under the guidance of coach Cliff, the participants took a lap around the Clubhouse to test out the new tools. “I took 389 steps!”, said one participant, “my goal is to take 1 million steps!”, said another. The group will monitor their steps for a week, assess their results and develop goals for improving their physical activity levels.

Nature Valley First Tee Open

Don’t miss your opportunity to get INSIDE the ROPES at this year’s Nature Valley First Tee Open! This year Nature Valley steps in to the title sponsor role and will be welcoming 78 great juniors to the Monterey Peninsula for the experience of their lifetime at the 2011 Nature Valley First Tee Open as volunteer caddies. E-mail Barry Phillips at bphillips@thefirstteemc.org for more information.

Tour Academy Scholarships

The Tour Academy has announced that it will offer a limited amount of summer camp scholarships for the NCGA Foundation to distribute to its participants this year. In addition, discounts of $25 for half day, $50 for full day, and $100 for overnight and elite camps will be offered to active Youth on Course members.

The camps will be held at some of the most recognized and celebrated golf facilities in the country including; TPC Sawgrass, located in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL and home of THE PLAYERS Championship; TPC Scottsdale outside Phoenix, AZ and home of the Waste Management Phoenix Open; and TPC Harding Park, located in San Francisco, CA, home of the 2010 and 2011 Charles Schwab Cup Championship and 2009 Presidents Cup.

“We are thrilled to be able to work with and support the NCGA Foundation’s Youth on Course participants,” said Marc Haddad, Vice President of the TOUR Academy. “The junior segment is truly a bright spot within the golf industry. We, along with the NCGA Foundation, want to cultivate this segment and support Northern California youth in their respective pursuits for game development as well as game enjoyment.”

Small Grants Program

2011 SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM

Overview

Applications are now being accepted to the NCGA Foundation’s Small Grants Program (SGP). Click here to submit your application. This program is designed to provide a one-time granting opportunity for organizations and programs engaged in youth development through golf. Grantees will receive nominal levels of support for unique or unexpected situations or scenarios. The Small Grants Program will provide grantees with a one-time award ranging from $100 to no more than $2,500.

YOC Policies

Policies, Rules and Regulations

In 2010 the NCGA Foundation made the difficult decision to suspend the range ball portion of Youth on Course. Green Fees will still be subsidized.

YOUTH ON COURSE RULES AND REGULATIONS

1 ) Each course will have a set budget for 2011. If the course exceeds this set budget, participants may be required to pay a higher rate.

2 ) Youth on Course participants may not play more than 1 (one) 18-hole round of golf or 2 (two) 9-hole rounds of golf in a given day.

3 ) Youth on Course rounds will not be reimbursed for organized play. Examples include but are not limited to: golf team practices, tournaments, outings, etc.

College Scholarships: Deadline Apr 15

2011 Scholarship Opportunities

The NCGA Foundation currently has scholarship opportunities available to Northern California youth, the Youth on Course scholarship and the Paul Porter Memorial Scholarship. Scholarships are the final part of the NCGA Foundation’s continuum that includes clinics, life skills training, affordable course access and internships.

Youth on Course Scholarship

The Youth on Course Scholarship is open to all northern California high school seniors who will attend a four-year college or university. The award is both merit-based and need based and will distribute $1,000 a year for four years of tuition support. A total of five scholarships have been awarded in 2011. The scholarship announcement is available here. We are proud to announce this year’s Youth on Course scholarship recipients!

Photo Galleries

San Jose Clinic – January 20, 2011

Sacramento Clinic – October 15, 2010

Poppy Hills Clinic – October 10, 2010

• NCGA Foundation Pro-Am – August 13, 2010
• Donor Clinics 2010
• NBC Television Visit – May 20, 2010
• State Legislature Recognition – April 21, 2010

Foundation Pro-Am

Youth on Course Directory

Foundation Honored