United States Golf Association awards new round of 84 grants

The United States Golf Association (USGA) has awarded a new round of 84 grants totaling $1,675,964 to non-profit organizations that will reach nearly 50,000 economically disadvantaged children and individuals with disabilities.

The awards are part of the USGA's effort to create opportunities in people's lives through golf. Grant monies can be used for instruction, golf course and range access, equipment or construction of golf facilities.

"The values that are inherent to the game of golf are transferable to areas of personal development that reach far beyond the golf course" said USGA President Walter Driver. "The programs we have supported over the past 10 years have demonstrated golf's potential to change lives time and time again. We know these newly supported programs will continue that good work."

The USGA has awarded nearly $55 million since 1997 through its "For the Good of the Game" grants initiative.

Kimberly Brown, a young woman in her 20s who is assistant director of The First Tee of Greater Seattle (TFTGS), knows firsthand that golf has the potential to change lives. She was involved in a USGA-funded program as a youngster in Montclair, N.J. After college, she was a Fellow administrator in the USGA grants program for two years. She now works for a program that has been the recipient of USGA funding.

"We are so grateful for the support of the USGA. Its support has been invaluable in establishing ourselves in the Seattle community," said Brown. "After starting with fewer than 250 participants in 2003; we now reach 1,200 kids annually. There is no way we could have accomplished this without the generosity of the USGA."

This time around, another Seattle-based program got a helping hand. The Seattle Junior Golf Foundation received a $27,500 grant.

Another program that will benefit from USGA funding is the Bergenfield (N.J.) Public School District. The new program there will use a $14,000 grant to help introduce students with Autism to golf as a way to strengthen their social skills and cognitive abilities.

"What makes golf the perfect challenge for students with this disability is that it is a game that dares each participant to continuously compete against oneself," said Superintendent Dr. Michael Kruchar. "Every player has an opportunity to be a winner. The course will represent a spectacular and safe learning environment for children who have been trapped inside a variety of walls for too long."

In Chicago, the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation will receive $44,000 in funding to support its summer caddie program, which enters its 16th year in 2007. It is designed to help economically-disadvantaged young people obtain job experience, earn income and gain self-reliance. So far, 368 scholars have participated in the caddie program and 86 caddies have gone on to receive the prestigious Chick Evans Scholarship that underwrites college tuition.

The USGA will also support the development of youth through the Texas Golf Association Foundation's new TGA Works internship program with a $28,000 grant. The initiative will introduce 20 Dallas-area youths to careers in the golf industry through placements in TGA-member golf club pro shops, clubhouses and maintenance crews. During their 10-week internships, participants will also have access to free golf instruction, equipment and playing opportunities.

"We are very proud of the USGA's support for the TGA WORKS program," said Winfield Padgett, president of the TGA Foundation. "The goals of TGA WORKS are parallel with the Foundation's mission to not only expose young people to the game, but also introduce them to the many possible career opportunities in the golf industry.

Here is a complete list of the 84 programs receiving funding across the country:

Challenge Alaska, Inc. Anchorage, Alaska $11,500

Huntsville Metropolitan Youth Golf Foundation Huntsville, Ala. $10,000

Tennessee Valley Jazz Society Huntsville, Ala. $10,000

Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement Sylacauga, Ala. $8,000

Southern Arizona Junior Golf Association Tucson, Ariz. $11,250

East Bay Golf Foundation Concord, Calif. $95,000

Mosquitos Eastside Action Club, Inc. Ripon, Calif. $2,700

Lake Chabot Junior Golf Academy San Leandro, Calif. $14,000

Girls Incorporated of Greater Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, Calif. $4,000

Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County Temecula, Calif. $4,000

Yreka Family YMCA Yreka, Calif. $2,500

Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley Alamosa, Colo. $14,000

LPGA Foundation Daytona Beach, Fla. $185,000

The First Tee of Jacksonville, Inc. Jacksonville, Fla. $20,000

Florida Adaptive Golf, Inc. Sarasota, Fla. $50,000

Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology Spring Hill, Fla. $2,600

Walton Foundation Augusta, Ga. $9,660

Decatur County of Georgia Bainbridge, Ga. $5,550

The First Tee of Columbus Columbus, Ga. $10,000

Boys & Girls Club of Rome, Inc. Rome, Ga. $8,000

North Shore Junior Golf Association Waialua, Hawaii $50,000

Idaho Youth Ranch Inc. Boise, Idaho $14,650

Idaho Youth Golf Association, Inc. Boise, Idaho $17,300

The Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation Chicago, Ill. $44,000

Dreams for Kids Inc. Chicago, Ill. $12,370

George Bell Youth Opportunity Fund Libertyville, Ill. $3,350

Patriots' Gateway Community Center Rockford, Ill. $15,000

Rockford Park District Rockford, Ill. $15,000

Boys & Girls Club of Springfield Springfield, Ill. $15,000

Blackford County Community Foundation Hartford City, Ind. $8,000

Damar Services Inc. Indianapolis, Ind. $10,500

Positive Swing Southport, Ind. $30,000

Arkansas City Recreation Commission Arkansas City, Kan. $2,000

Wichita Junior Golf Foundation Wichita, Kan. $18,000

TFT, Inc. Pineville, Ky. $57,000

Youth Golf Coalition Louisville, Ky. $40,000

Northeast Louisiana Youth Golf Academy Monroe, La. $40,000

Northwest Louisiana Youth Golf and Education Foundation Shreveport, La. $25,000

Public Schools of Brookline Brookline, Mass. $14,000

Children & Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Landover, Md. $6,750

Northern Maine Development Commission, Inc. Caribou, Maine $5,500

Traverse City Junior Golf Association Traverse City, Mich. $15,000

Chillicothe Middle School Chillicothe, Mo. $4,150

Triple "A" Youth Foundation St. Louis, Mo. $20,000

Eagle Mount Billings Billings, Mont. $5,120

Walter T. Morgan Service Foundation, Inc. Cornelius, N.C. $10,000

City of Franklin, Parks and Recreation Department Franklin, N.H. $1,500

Bergenfield Public School District Bergenfield, N.J. $14,000

The ARC of Atlantic County, Inc. Egg Harbor Tnshp, N.J. $5,000

Boys and Girls Clubs of Gloucester County, Inc. Glassboro, N.J. $2,500

Gloucester City School District Gloucester City, N.J. $12,500

Metropolitan Golf Association Foundation Elmsford, N.Y. $22,500

Mount Vernon Boys and Girls Club Mount Vernon, N.Y. $6,784

The First Tee of Akron Akron, Ohio $12,500

Edwin Shaw Hospital - Challenge Golf Akron, Ohio $8,700

Hamilton County Park District Cincinnati, Ohio $5,000

Mound Street Military Academy Dayton, Ohio $4,000

Northern Ohio Hemophilia Foundation Independence, Ohio $5,340

Whittier Middle School Lorain, Ohio $640

Youth Development Corp of Southwestern Ohio Loveland, Ohio $3,100

Malta-McConnelsville Rotary McConnelsville, Ohio $6,750

Ohio Junior Golf Association Norwalk, Ohio $20,000

The First Tee of Tulsa Tulsa, Okla. $3,000

City of Waurika Waurika, Okla. $1,800

City of Waurika Waurika, Okla. $1,250

Heart of Variety Fund Philadelphia, Pa. $20,000

Fairway Outreach, Inc. Columbia, S.C. $50,000

SharedCare Myrtle Beach, S.C. $13,000

City of Chattanooga Parks and Recreation Chattanooga, Tenn. $5,150

Mid-South Junior Golf Association Memphis, Tenn. $50,000

Mid-South Junior Golf Association Memphis, Tenn. $125,000

The Greater Brownsville Junior Golf Foundation, Inc. Brownsville, Texas $30,000

Texas Golf Association Foundation Dallas, Texas $28,000

Youth Sports Council of Fort Worth Fort Worth, Texas $30,000

Grand Prairie Independent School District Grand Prairie, Texas $3,500

Young Women's Christian Assoc. of Lubbock, Texas, Inc. Lubbock, Texas $6,000

YMCA of Port Arthur Texas Port Arthur, Texas $20,000

The Texas Educational Foundation San Marcos, Texas $15,000

Southern Texas PGA Foundation Spring, Texas $40,000

Boys & Girls Club of Utah County Provo, Utah $11,000

National Alliance for Accessible Golf Bloomington, Va. $25,000

Golfers Social Foundation Palmyra, Va. $10,000

Seattle Junior Golf Foundation Seattle, Wash. $27,500

Learning Through Golf Foundation Green Bay, Wis. $20,000

USGA Grants Initiative: A Capsule History

The USGA is the national governing body of golf in this country and Mexico, a combined territory that includes more than half the game's golfers and golf courses.

The USGA works to make the game of golf affordable and accessible. Since 1997, the grants initiative has traditionally focused on programming for economically disadvantaged kids and individuals with disabilities. The USGA Executive Committee has extended this grants initiative to the end of the decade, bringing total anticipated USGA support to $65 million to provide financial support and assistance to deserving golf programs.

Beyond its Grants Initiative, the USGA partners with national organizations to promote affordable and accessible facility development, course access, girls' golf and initiatives for individuals with disabilities.

For more information on the USGA Grants Initiative, contact the Grants office at (719) 471-4810 or visit the Grants Section of the USGA Web site at www.usga.org.

Media Contact:

Craig Smith

csmith@usga.org

Web address: www.usga.org

USGA phone: (908) 234-2300