A total of 114 players participated in the event at CommonGround Golf Course, which is owned and operated by the CGA and CWGA.

The annual tournament raises money for numerous initiatives in which the CGA, CWGA and CommonGround play a part. Among them are the junior developmental programs at the course, the new Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, and the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools program, a joint initiative with its allied partners.

The Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy is formally launching this weekend at CommonGround. The academy promotes the use of caddies by paying all of their base fees, and it will train teenagers who eventually will be available to caddie at other courses in the Denver area. It’s also hoped that the academy will produce strong candidates for the Evans Caddie Scholarship at the University of Colorado.

The overall mission of the academy is to use caddying and the game of golf to teach kids how to succeed in life. Earlier this year, the academy received a $10,000 grant from the USGA.

Jennifer Navarro, a product of the CommonGround caddie program who plans to apply for the Evans Scholarship, was among those present Monday at the reception following the fundraising tournament. Navarro is caddying at Cherry Hills Country Club this year, though she may also work some special events at CommonGround.

“I am truly blessed with every single one who supports the Evans Scholarship because that’s what I’m striving for,” said Navarro (pictured speaking), a sophomore at Arrupe Jesuit High School. “I really want to be a successful person in life.”

Citywide was the title sponsor of the Colorado Golf Fundraising Tournament this year and will continue in that role in 2013.
 

That’s why many of the fundraising efforts of organizations such as the CGA and CWGA benefit junior golf programs. Just in February, the golf community has helped the associations raise $16,000 for junior golf developmental initiatives through the Used Club Sale at the Denver Golf Expo, and $8,000 (minus some consignment fees) through a junior golf silent auction held in conjunction with the CWGA Annual Meeting.

In addition, earlier this month the USGA donated $10,000 to the Eisenhower Caddie Academy, a CGA program at CommonGround Golf Course which encourages the use of caddies by funding base caddie fees, with the golfer only responsible for a tip.

And the CGA recently received more support on the junior golf front when Citywide Banks agreed to be the title sponsor for the Colorado Golf Junior Golf Fundraiser the CGA and CWGA host each year at CommonGround. This year’s tournament is scheduled for May 21.

Citywide’s sponsorship is for $5,000 each year in 2012 and 2013, with the money benefiting CGA/CWGA junior golf programs.

“It’s great to have a banker invested in our mission,” CGA executive director Ed Mate said. “It’s much more than a business relationship; it’s a partnership. This is the kind of people we want to do business with. They’re a small bank that wants to be engaged in the community.”

The CGA and CWGA participate in — and help fund — a host of junior golf-related programs, including the Evans Caddie Scholarship and the Eisenhower Caddie Academy, in addition to junior golf developmental programs which primarily target underprivileged youngsters who wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to the game. Among those programs are Colorado PGA Golf in Schools, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Special Olympics, the First Tee, Girls Scouts of Colorado, Goodwill, LPGA/USGA Girls Golf, the Montclair Recreation Center, Rite of Passage and the Challenge Foundation.

The CGA and CWGA do business banking through Citywide, and the bank’s conversations with Mate led to the junior golf fundraising tournament agreement. Citywide has been a mainstay in Denver-area banking for 49 years, primarily serving business customers. It currently operates 13 branches in the metro area.

“The CGA is a customer of ours and we’ve done some sponsorship in the past,” said Steve Ebner, vice president of marketing for Citywide. “When we heard what they wanted to do, we jumped at the opportunity to help out.”

One junior program particularly drew Citywide’s attention, according to Ebner. The Evans Scholarship provides full tuition and housing at the University of Colorado (among other universities) to caddies who have outstanding grades and character, and who demonstrate financial need. In fact, Citywide had a CU Evans Scholar speak at a dinner reception for the bank’s corporate golf tournament last summer.

Citywide joins a group of many organizations and individuals who financially support CGA/CWGA junior programs. The USGA has been a steadfast ally in that regard, particularly with all the junior outreach programs based at CommonGround, the CGA/CWGA-owned public course that opened in 2009. The USGA provided a $175,000 grant to help build the nine-hole Kids Course at CommonGround, and the national association kicked in another $20,000 for the junior outreach programs at last year’s Junior Golf Fundraiser. That’s in addition to the $10,000 USGA grant for the new Eisenhower Caddie Academy.