Golf is not the destination; it is the beginning of the journey.
A
s the charitable arm of the NCGA, Youth on Course pro- vides more than 60,000 subsi- dized rounds of golf, more than a dozen high school internships and 36 college scholarships to deserving Northern California youth each year. Youth on Course uses golf as a means to help young men and women better their lives. While learning the game of golf, at risk youth learn the things that golf teaches about life: honesty, integrity, the value of
these inspiring young men and women. We have recently clarified our mission and purpose. During the last two years, under the leadership of Pat Quinn, we have revised our charter and structure in order to reach deeper into the communities we serve. Last September, Youth on Course completed a five-year strategic plan, a milestone that we have been working towards for several years. We now stand ready to execute our plan, to expand the geographical areas we serve, to
deserving youth in Northern California. You can help our cause in a couple of ways: by making a direct contribution, by buying a dedication brick at the newly renovated Poppy Hills Golf Course, by signing your NCGA member club up for automatic club enrollment, or by attending one of our three world-class golf events. I am honored to have been asked to
serve as president of Youth on Course for the next two years. It is a way for me to give back to a game that has made
perseverance, and what success is and is not. The subsidized rounds provided by the Youth on Course program repre- sent hundreds of thousands of hours in which youth are given something posi- tive to do in a safe environment. When we started Youth on Course, we visualized young people escaping unacceptable domestic environments by playing golf with each other. What we found was that these young men and women showed up and played golf with older players—with men and women who became role models, whether they intended to or not. It was transformative for both the Youth on Course participants and for the citizens who found themselves playing with
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increase access to golf for young men and women, and provide more internships and scholarships than ever before. It is an exciting time to be part of Youth on Course. With only three full-time employees, YOC does momentous work with remarkably modest resources. Our 15-member board is exceptionally active, and gives endlessly of time, talent, resources and connections to advance the cause of Youth on Course. It has never been easier to make an impact through golf on the lives of
my life immeasurably better. I have had more laughter and tears, learned more about taking the good with the bad, and learned to “play it as it lies” (both in golf and in life) than I would have in any other endeavor. I didn’t start playing golf to do any of that—I started out
By BILL HAMMONDS
NCGA Foundation Board President
to have a little fun. And that’s the secret. That’s how we’ll get the kids...
To make a positive impact on the lives of youth visit
youthoncourse.org.
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