Each year for the past 10 years, we have given out up to $25,000 in total to deserving MAPGA facilities to help grow the game.
The 2025 Player Development Grant Application Process is NOW OPEN
QUESTIONS?
Contact:
Caleb Kolb
MAPGA Player Development Coordinator
ckolb@pgahq.com
540-784-4706
PAST RECIPIENTS
2024 Player Development Grant Recipients
Andrews Air Force Base (Brett Oliver) Awarded $1800
“We are very confident all of our programs skills and values to all participants through what we feel is excellent instruction, a wide variety of opportunities to learn the game, including etiquette while enthusiastically teaching and promoting the game of golf. Personally My goal as an instructor is to motivate individuals to make the a game a major part of their life whether it is for therapeutic or recreational reasons. I tell everyone regardless of their background whether a beginner or advanced that Golf is in one form or
another therapeutic. I firmly believe this that regardless of how well or poorly you may play the game the benefits of the game are infinite.”
Baltimore Municipal Golf Corporation/Pine ridge Golf Course (Julieta Stack) Awarded $1500
“We offer many different levels of classes/clinics that allow for players to feel comfortable in their environment as they grow. We do our best to help players of all skill levels fulfill their potential through goal setting and seeing players build self esteem/self confidence through golf. We help them set data driven goals so they can track their improvement and that helps show them the value of hard work and perseverance and gives them hope to keep trying to improve. Seeing incremental progress is like magic for an athlete. Community is a big part of our programs–as we are a busy public course, so making friends and building bonds is important and is often what brings players back. We promote walking for all of our players as a way of staying healthy.”
Birdwood Golf at Boar’s Head Resort (Robert Failes) Awarded $460
“Birdwood Golf and Boar’s Head Golf Academy is proud to offer the most diverse collection of development opportunities in central Virginia. We support, host and conduct programs including but not limited to: The First Tee, Special Olympics, PGA Junior League, Operation 36 (for men, women and juniors), and the University of Virginia’s men’s and women’s golf programs. We believe each of these programs emphasize the importance of learning through playing on the golf course – which is where and how we believe the development of golf and life skills merge.”
Cedar Point Club (Tucker Noel) Awarded $1600
“We develop skills and strength mentally and physically in all of our programing. We recognize that not all players goals are to become a scratch golfer but everyone can always enjoy golf a little more. The programs we have at our club are built for different skill levels with the main goal for them enjoy golf in whatever they want and for them to progress at their pace. Our offerings allow participants to play, learn, and engage with other member in more ways then just playing 18 holes.”
CitySwing Foundation (Demarkis Cooper) Awarded $3,000
“Our programs not only develop strong foundational golf skills, but also explore broader learning of the game including STEM concepts in golf, careers in the golf industry, and an overview of rules, scoring, equipment, and benefits of playing the game. All of our activities are developed with an understanding of multiple learning styles and interests so that all youth can identify at least one aspect of golf that they can connect to. We utilize fun and engaging activities to teach youth about grip, stance, and swings that are
developmentally appropriate using various teaching tools like SNAG, target games, etc that allow us to provide our program in any setting. Our programs are also designed to build social skills, creativity and strategic thinking, and healthy lifestyles– all of which are significant values/concepts developed through playing the game.”
Every Body Golf School (George Danielson) Awarded $2,000
“The Every Body Golf School has developed golfers of all ages for 26 years. We have had a robust junior program teaching SNAG, beginning juniors, intermediate juniors, juniors attending week- long camps and week-long players camps. Each program teaches rules and etiquette in addition to golf playing skills.”
The Federal Club (Bret Templeton) Awarded $1,950
“Our program tries to reach every segment of golfer, with options for total beginners of all sexes and ages all the way to tournament junior players. We strive to make the game and learning it FUN, while also improving the physical motion, the emotional approach, and the honorable behavior that we want to be displayed throughout a player’s golfing life.”
The First Tee of DC (Roger Brown) Awarded $1,000
“First Tee has a curriculum that seamlessly integrates learning golf with character development. Within each level of the program participants learn golf skills that are appropriate to their age. Golf skills are split into different categories so participants are not overwhelmed while learning. For example, during a class with participants new to the game, we teach them how big of a swing to take to make the ball go different distances, during that class we do not talk about how to hold the club. During that same class, we use various activities to teach participants about the various core values. If the core value of the day is honesty we may be playing tic tac toe putting which teaches distance control and honesty. Participants will learn through playing the activity how big of a swing they need to take and also be honest about where their ball ended up.”
The First Tee Virginia Blue Ridge (Andrew Good) Awarded $1,000
“Our program incorporates both golf and life skills into our classes. At First Tee, participants are asked to make a Commitment to Being a Game Changer. The commitment is broken into 5 categories and goes as follows: Pursuing Goals, Growing through Challenge, Collaborating with Others, Building Positive Self-Identity, Using Good Judgement. This commitment becomes the basis for our life skills lessons with every lesson falling into one of the above 5 categories. Our classes are age-based (5-7, 8-10, 11-13, and 14+) and as participants age-up the curriculum adjusts to become more age appropriate and relevant.”
PMC Golf Academy (Patrick McCarthy) Awarded $2,000
“The chipping hurdles will be used for PGA Jr League Camps, the event target will be used for various events included, parent-child tournaments and special junior golf events. SNAG Balls *These 3 items will be used to improve our Birdie Basics programs, upping the excitement level. The Sticky Suit will also be used for other Junior programs.”
Popular Grove (Gunnar Phillips) Awarded $2,000
“Our programs mission is to teach our junior golfers the principles and ethics of the game of golf in a fun and inclusive way. We always start with teaching the whole group proper etiquette by making up fun scenarios that make the juniors interact with one another while learning how to conduct themselves on facility. With our instruction we teach the group as a whole, pair them up based on skill, and break out into groups to practice each principle. As juniors are practicing, us pros walk around assisting each junior. Throughout the session we have games after each drill. If you win a game you’re rewarded points that contribute to a rewards system that can be redeemed at the end of the clinic.”
Steve Bosdosh Academy (Matthew Schneider) Awarded $2,300
“Our program develops skills and values in a number of ways. Golf is one of the best games to teach a character. With etiquette being built into the game, our program teaches consideration for one another, compassion, empathy, character development, resilience, relationship building, and overcoming adversity. We teach these values on and off the golf course. On the course coaches observe and look for learning opportunities which are identified to the students as they come. Off the course, coaches play games and take time out of the training portion to ingrain the importance of hard work, preparation, routine, delayed gratification, self-awareness, mental strengthening, self-trust, and perspective.”
Tim Wagner Golf @ Independence Club (Tim Wagner) Awarded $2,500
“The objective of my junior golf programming is to not only teach the game of golf to various skill levels but to utilize the etiquette, respect, and integrity of the game to carry into life skills through coachable moments. An example of ways we encourage values is having a “word of the day” such as respect. At the end of each day, we recognize the campers who have embodied these traits in our daily wrap-up session.”
TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm (Tim Ritter) Awarded $750
“When addressing brand-new junior golfers, our focus is on cultivating fundamental skills that will pave the way for their long-term enjoyment of the game. Key areas include mastering the grip, perfecting posture, aligning correctly, and understanding sequencing. For the more advanced players who return season after season, the emphasis shifts to refining these fundamentals and honing additional physical skills, such as shaping shots and exhibiting creativity around the greens.”
Montgomery County Revenue Authority (Doug Hamilton) Awarded $1,000
“Junior golf is the backbone of the game and it’s future. I want to teach juniors of all ages the game of life using golf as the vehicle.”