The trajectory of the three-year-old Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado is reminiscent of watching the ascendance of a tee shot hit by Dustin Johnson on Protracer.

A steady, impressive rise to the sky.

The JGAC, an organization founded and run by the CGA and the Colorado PGA, largely wrapped up its year with its Tour Championship and season-ending banquet on Oct. 7 at Denver Country Club. And it was an impressive season in numerous respects.

In fact, most of the numbers for Alliance-related events and programs were up substantially in 2018, year over year:

— Membership — which is now divided into three levels (Tour, Series and Introductory), depending on the skill and needs of given participants — hit 995 in 2018. That’s an 11 percent jump from 2018.

— At the various levels, there were 5,007 entries for JGAC events, up 12 percent form last year.

— This year, the JGAC oversaw 106 events, including 10 Drive, Chip & Putt qualifiers and the PGA Jr. League state championship.

— Speaking of Drive, Chip & Putt, there were 1,286 participants in 2018, up 18 percent from last year.

— In PGA Jr. League, 1,849 players competed, 29 percent more than in 2017. A total of 157 teams joined in, up 19 percent from last year.

— Fifteen courses in Colorado participated in the first year of Youth on Course in the state, with 658 rounds of subsidized golf (so far) on the books, and $3,864 in subsidies paid to the courses. Youth on Course makes golf more accessible to juniors by capping their cost for a round at $5 at participating facilities, possibly with some date/time restrictions. Then a subsidy of a similar amount per round is paid to the participating course.

— And funding has been approved for 10,053 kids to participate in the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools Program, which is supported by all the Allied Golf Associations in the state. The final number of participants for 2018 is to be determined as fall programming continues. Golf in Schools introduces kids to the game each school year through their P.E. classes at school.

“Our success is shown through our growth and our numbers and different things like that,” said Ashley Barnhart, the CGA’s director of junior competitions, who helps oversee the JGAC along with many other staffers and interns from the Colorado PGA and the CGA. “And I think people are becoming really familiar with our platform, which helps. There’s a lot of word of mouth. Coaches, instructors and people like that are becoming active in the program, which is what we really set out to do. I think we had a great year because of that.”

Beyond organizational success, JGAC members had some major individual and team accomplishments in 2018:

— For the first time in 44 years of competing in the boys Junior America’s Cup, the Colorado team won the competition against other squads from throughout the western U.S., as well as Canada and Mexico. Doubling the accomplishment, Dillon Stewart of Fort Collins claimed the individual title in the event. Also competing on the Colorado team (left) were Cal McCoy of Highlands Ranch, Davis Bryant of Aurora and Walker Franklin of Broomfield, Bryant is now a freshman on the Colorado State University golf team while McCoy is playing for the University of Denver. Stewart, who just won the 5A individual state high school title while his Fossil Ridge squad earned the team championship, is expected next month to sign a letter of intent to play college golf at perennial powerhouse Oklahoma State starting in the fall of 2019.

— The JGAC hosted the Girls Junior Americas Cup for the first time in 18 years as Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen brought together some of the best girls players from the western U.S., Canada and Mexico. The team representing Colorado finished fifth out of 18 in the event, its best showing in five years.

— For just the second time in the short history of the Drive, Chip & Putt initiative, three Coloradans have qualified for the same National Championship. Three years after a trio of Coloradans competed in the national DCP event at Augusta National, Caitlyn Chin of Greenwood Village, Chunya “Bead” Boonta of Centennial and Grady Ortiz of Colorado Springs will do so in the 2019 event that will be held April 7 on the eve of the Masters. Each advanced through three qualifying events in 2018. Chin, who was one of the three Coloradans who qualified for nationals in 2016, will return next spring, making her the first player from the Centennial State to competed in the finals twice.

— Stewart claimed two AJGA titles in 2018. In June, he became the first Coloradan to win the boys championship at the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior. Then in early September, he prevailed at the AJGA Junior at Big Sky in Montana, coincidentally the same state where he won the Junior America’s Cup title. Another Coloradan that scored an AJGA victory in 2018 was Sofia Choi of Littleton, who won the AJGA Preview at Waubeeka in Massachusetta in early May.

— Also winning a significant title on a larger stage in 2018 was Nicholas Pevny of Aspen, who took the top spot in the boys 12-13 division of the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships in Florida in July.

— Another notable accomplishment came earlier this month when Lauren Lehigh of Loveland was among 12 girls — and 24 junior golfers overall — who were named to the 2018 Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team by the AJGA. The honor is given to a very select group of junior golfers from all over the country and the world who particularly excel on the golf course, in the classroom and in the community. Lehigh’s cumulative GPA for her first three years of high school is 4.116, and her best score on the SAT has been 1,430. She was later named the JGAC’s 2018 Girls Player of the Year, while Stewart took the honor on the boys side.

— Hadley Ashton of Erie had an outstanding showing at a prestigious international tournament as she finished fifth in the girls 9-10 division at the IMG Academy Junior World Championships in the San Diego area.

— In May, Emma Bryant of Eaglecrest won the 5A girls state high school title as a freshman. The amazing thing about the accomplishment was that older brother Davis Bryant had won the 5A boys title last fall — in the same school year. It was the first time two players with the same surname have won the boys and girls state individual prep championships in one school year. (The Bryants are pictured at left.)

— Charlotte Hillary of Cherry Hills Village and Hailey Schalk of Erie, both high school sophomores at the time, made match play but lost in the round of 32 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship in late April.

(All the award winners recognized at the JGAC’s recent banquet are listed below.)

While the junior golf season is nearly over in Colorado, there are some events held in mid and late October. For instance, the JGAC Parent/Child tournaments are scheduled for Oct. 27-28 at Indian Tree Golf Course in Arvada. And last Saturday, an Optimist Junior Tour event was held at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in Denver, where 23 qualifying spots for the 2019 Optimist International Junior Golf Championships at Trump National Doral Resort in Miami were at stake.

The age-group winners included three Coloradans: Brandon Bervig of Colorado Springs (boys 16-18), Morgan Ryan of Centennial (girls 14-18) and Tyler Tyson of Arvada (boys 14-15).

2018 Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado Award Winners

Boys Player of the Year
Dillon Stewart of Fort Collins — Won individual title in Junior America’s Cup, which featured some of the top junior golfers from the western U.S., Canada and Mexico. … Led Colorado to its first team title ever in the boys Junior America’s Cup. … Became the first Colorado boy to win the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior. … As a senior, won the 5A state high school individual championship and led Fossil Ridge to its first team title in boys golf. … Notched his second AJGA title of 2018 at the AJGA Junior at Big Sky in Montana. … Shared medalist honors in qualifying for the U.S. Junior Amateur. … Finished second at the Colorado Junior Amateur. … Has verbally committed to play college golf at Oklahoma State

Girls Player of the Year
Lauren Lehigh of Loveland — One of 24 players (12 girls) worldwide to be named to the Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team by the AJGA. The Loveland High School senior earned that honor by placing in the top five in an AJGA open or invitational, then based on the following criteria: standardized test scores, grade-point average, school leadership and community service. … Won the girls division of the Colorado Junior Match Play, one of four JGAC majors. … During the course of 2018 at JGAC events, won three times, placed second seven times and third three times. … One of the runner-ups was in her title defense at the 4A state high school tournament. … Finished third among girls at the AJGA Hale Irwin Colorado Junior. … Helped lead Colorado to a fifth-place finish at the Girls Junior Americas Cup competition at Hiwan Golf Club in Evergreen, where Lehigh tied for 14th place individually. … Finished 13th nationally in Big I National Championship. … Has verbally committed to play in college at the University of New Mexico. … Has been a member of the Hale Irwin Player Program for three years.
 
Girls Most Improved Player
Ashley Kozlowski of Littleton — Sixteen-year-old JGAC Tour player saw her scoring average decrease 16 strokes compared to 2017.

Boys Most Improved Player
Will Balliet of Thornton — Scoring average for the 12-year-old in 2018 was 11.9 strokes better than in 2017.
 
Award of Excellence (based on community service, character, overcoming hardship and showing spirit of the game of golf)
Max Heupel (left) — The multi-sport athlete and dedicated golfer started a non-profit called “Bagging Homelessness”, raising money and buying supplies to create daily care packages for people living on the street.
 
10 & Under All-Stars
Taylor Wilson
Addison Hines
Maddie Makino
Livia Pett
Taylor Hale
Andre Dumonteil
Brayden Destefano
Clint Summers III
Sean Cary
Miles Kuhl

11-13 All-Stars
Charlie Flaxbeard
Matai Naqica
Wes Erling
Blake Sullivan
Nicholas Pevny
Hadley Ashton
Caitlyn Chin
Ashleigh Wilson
Emily Cheng
Kaitlin Zingler

14-18 All-Stars
Hunter Swanson
Maxwell Lange
Traejan Andrews
Tyler Tyson
Quinton Mosch
Amira Badruddin
Clara Hosman
Kaylee Jacobs
Jessica Mason
Elan Fleetwod

Tour All-Stars
Connor Jones
Emma Bryant
Walker Franklin
Charlotte Hillary
TJ Shehee
Caroline Jordaan
Davis Bryant
Hailey Schalk
Dillon Stewart
Lauren Lehigh

Points Chase Champions
Andre Dumonteil — 10 & Under Boys
Taylor Wilson — 10 & Under Girls
Charlie Flaxbeard –11 – 13 Boys
Hadley Ashton — 11 – 13 Girls
Hunter Swanson — 14 – 18 Boys
Amira Badruddin — 14 – 18 Girls
Dillon Stewart — JGAC Tour Boys
Lauren Lehigh — JGAC Tour Girls
 
Academic All-Stars
Emaan Adil – Greenwood Village
Christian Agelopoulos – Denver
Ewan Albright – Boulder
Gavin Amella – Pueblo
Elisandro Aragon – Highlands Ranch
Brendan Archer – Vail
Amira Badruddin – Parker
Savannah Balint – Grand Junction
Brynn Balliet – Thornton
Jamie Banghart – Fort Collins
Parker Beasley – Denver
Katie Berrian – Castle Rock
Liam Beshoar – Montrose
Pierce Bickerton – Windsor
Logan Biggerstaff – Cherry Hills Village
Andrew Blair – Denver
Christian Blair – Denver
Emmett Bleem – Windsor
Caroline Brandon – Denver
Davis Bryant – Aurora
Emma Bryant – Aurora
Dylan Bundy – Lone Tree
Caleb Busta – Centennial
Logan Byler – Parker
Qwenton Caldwell – Littleton
Cody Caldwell – Woodland Park
Paige Carlson – Parker
Owen Casey – Denver
William Chadwick – Boulder
Kaylee Chen – Denver
Christina Cheng – Colorado Springs
Emily Cheng – Colorado Springs
Benjamin Chin – Greenwood Village
Caitlyn Chin – Greenwood Village
Alyssa Chin – Greenwood Village
Ella Chism – Centennial
Sofia Choi – Littleton
Noah Clough – Fort Morgan
Christian Cohan – Golden
Alex Colby – Castle Rock
Jax Collins – Golden
Alexis Cunningham – Denver
Benjamin Daane – Rapid City, S.D.
Garrett Dalton – Parker
Mitchell Davis – Strasburg
Mario Dino – Denver
Dakota Dolph – Pine
Jake Dost – Parker
Drex Duffy – Littleton
Raven DuKane – Broomfield
Graham Dzengelewski – Highlands Ranch
Sydney Elder – Centennial
Wesley Erling – Castle Rock
Dylan Everett – Highlands Ranch
Ryan Falender – Colorado Springs
Nick Fallin – Highlands Ranch
Nolan Farrar – Larkspur
Nicole Fatovic – Broomfield
Jack Finch – Centennial
Tyler Findlow – Lone Tree
Jack Flaherty – Broomfield
Bobby Flaherty – Broomfield
Charlie Flaxbeard – Greenwood Village
James Flaxbeard – Greenwood Village
Jeth Fogg – Colorado Springs
Oscar Ford – Centennial
Kaden Ford – Colorado Springs
Nick Formby – Frederick
Jaxon Franklin – Broomfield
Walker Franklin – Broomfield
John Fredericks – Denver
Brendan Fricke – Highlands Ranch
Oliver Gibbons – Lakewood
Jacob Gilbert – Watkins
Devin Gilbreath – Aurora
Anthony Giordano – Denver
Alexander Goeltl – Fort Collins
Jonas Graham – Parker
Christopher Gunlikson – Longmont
Taylor Hale – Eagle
Logan Hale – Eagle
Kalai Hamlin – Monument
Sam Hammock – Fort Collins
Ben Harding – Longmont
Maryn Harlow – Fort Collins
Corbin Harris – Littleton
Booth Hayes – Frederick
Allie Henson – Windsor
Max Heupel – Littleton
Thomas Hicks – Greenwood Village
Charlotte Hillary – Englewood
Carter Hinkle – Windsor
Clara Hosman – Parker
Landon Houska – Fort Collins
Kylee Hughes – Aspen
Freddie Ingham – Lone Tree
Kaylee Jacobs – Denver
Jack Jacobsen – Englewood
Jordan Jennings – Montrose
Clara Jeon – Centennial
Rhett Johnson – Littleton
Hadley Johnson – Thermopolis, Wyo.
Hardy Johnson – Thermopolis, Wyo
Connor Jones – Westminster
Trey Jones – Colorado Springs
Caroline Jordaan – Lakewood
Marie Jordaan – Lakewood
Nathan Kim – Castle Pines
Holden Kleager – Glenwood Springs
Carter Kovarik – Englewood
Ashley Kozlowski – Littleton
Brooke Kramer – Aurora
Benjamin Kriech – Parker
Drew Laake – Colorado Springs
Gisella Lagrimas – Castle Rock
Amalei Lagrimas – Castle Rock
Noah Larchick – Aurora
Will Leary – Fort Collins
Jake Legg – Montrose
Katelyn Lehigh – Loveland
Lauren Lehigh – Loveland
Jack Leibold – Littleton
Emily Kate Lisle – Evergreen
Frank Lockwood – Englewood
Davis Long – Lafayette
Josh Lowrey – Highlands Ranch
Josee Lurcott – Englewood
Macallister Lurcott – Englewood
Mason Magley – Loveland
Katherine Malcolm – Parker
Aidan Mann – Boulder
Natasha McClain – Denver
Cole McCoy – Highlands Ranch
Cal McCoy – Highlands Ranch
Sarah McDevitt – Elizabeth
Campbell McFadden – Denver
Piper McFadden – Denver
Gavin McWhorter – Loveland
Benjamin Medina – Denver
Andrew Merz – Colorado Springs
Grant Meyers – Brighton
Bennett Meyers – Brighton
William Mitchell – Lafayette
Jessica Morrissey – Golden
Tyler Mulligan – Parker
Roger Nakagawa – Denver
Zach Nehm – Grand Junction
Max Noffsinger – Greeley
Brittlynn O’Dell – Grand Junction
Yusuke Ogi – Arvada
Kota Ogi – Arvada
Liam O’Halloran – Colorado Springs
Finn Olson – Castle Pines
Eshaan Palanati – Aurora
Sam Patrick – Highlands Ranch
Will Perez – Denver
Eva Pett – Denver
Livia Pett – Denver
Elaina Phiel – Denver
Carlo Pine – Telluride
Dylan Pyle – Boulder
Nathan Rabuck – Denver
Keaton Rich – Arvada
Maya Romero – Aurora
Kailer Rundiks – Denver
Ryan Sangchompuphen – Denver
Spencer Schlagel – Parker
Jack Schubert – Highlands Ranch
Isabella Scott – Castle Rock
Travis Seitz – Steamboat Springs
Suchit Sharma – Thornton
Brady Shaw – Pueblo
TJ Shehee – Mead
Timbre Shehee – Mead
Isabella Short – Evergreen
Jack Siler – Aurora
Aidan Sim – Parker
Windrem Smith – Fort Collins
Mena Song – Lew – Colorado Springs
Jack Stafford – Parker
John Stevens – Green Mountain Falls
Peter Stinar – Colorado Springs
Molly Stratton – Centennial
Blake Sullivan – Castle Pines
Carter Surofchek – Colorado Springs
Hunter Swanson – Denver
Sydney Taylor – Fort Collins
Leanne Telle – Colorado Springs
Conner Thomas – Frederick
Dawson Thulin – Denver
Jack Tickle – Centennial
Collen Todd – Golden
Jack Tourault – Broomfield
Lauren Tucker – Lone Tree
Taylor Tucker – Lone Tree
Charlie Tucker – Castle Pines
Zach Tyson – Arvada
Tyler Tyson – Arvada
James Wagner – Erie
Sean Wallace – Denver
Kelsey Webster – Boulder
Max Weisser – Denver
Jake Welch – Highlands Ranch
Gabrielle Werst – Fort Collins
Jacob Whelan – Highlands Ranch
Matthew Wilkinson – Centennial
Blake Williams – Lone Tree
Blake Williams – Lone Tree
Jadie Wilson – Denver
Ashleigh Wilson – Highlands Ranch
Taylor Wilson – Highlands Ranch
Liam Wood – Boulder
Garrett Wood – Centennial
Colin Young – Highlands Ranch
Grace Young – Highlands Ranch
Max Zadvorny – Centennial
Jessica Zapf – Windsor
Ian Zweifel – Orlando, Fla.
 

The CPGA and its work will be featured during Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive”, which on Friday will air from 6:30-8:30 a.m. MT.

In particular, the program that will draw attention on Friday is the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools, a joint initiative of the Allied Golf Associations of Colorado, including the Colorado PGA, CGA, CWGA, the Colorado Open Golf Foundation, the Golf Course Owners Association, the Club Managers Association and the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.

Golf in Schools exposes kids to the game through P.E. classes, and over the last five-plus years, more than 40,000 Colorado youngsters have been reached by the free instructional program. More than 50 golf professionals from the Colorado PGA are involved with Golf in Schools.

The PGA Section Spotlight Series is running on Morning Drive on various days from Jan. 27-May 4. Each profile includes a “Get to Know the PGA Section” fact box and the Section’s signature program.

(April 15 update) For the Colorado PGA segment that aired on Friday, CLICK HERE.

The Hall of Fame, founded in 1964, designated a total of $200,000 — proceeds from its annual induction and awards banquet, Colorado state high school football “Championship Saturday”, and the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Golf Classic.

The donations announced Wednesday bring the amount of cash and in-kind donations the CSHOF has made to youth sports programs and other sports organizations in Colorado to more than $1 million over the past 11 years.

“All of these organizations meet our mission of helping youth sports, education, and youth of color in Colorado, and we are happy that we can impact so many worthy programs,” said Tom Lawrence, president and CEO of the Hall of Fame. “Our goal was to have an impact on as many youth sports groups as we could, to further the goal of the Hall of Fame in improving youth sports and education in our state.”

Lawrence is a former president of the CGA.

This latest set of donations are made in partnership with Colorado Sports Hall of Fame sponsors Gatorade, King Soopers/City Market, the Denver Broncos, Sports Authority, Wells Fargo, Century Link, and El Pomar Foundation.

For all of the organizations that will benefit from the CSHOF event proceeds, CLICK HERE.

In fact, the former Denver Country Club caddie, who earned a full tuition and housing Evans Scholarship at the University of Colorado thanks to toting bags as a teenager, will really put his middle-aged body to the test this year. Five times in 2015, he not only plans to caddie, but he’ll carry doubles on each occasion. That tends to wear out high school kids, much less a person pushing 50.

But it’s all for a good cause. With the CGA celebrating the 100th anniversary of its 1915 founding, one of the ways the association is commemorating the milestone is with the season-long, statewide Century of Golf Challenge fundraiser.

Through pledges they collect for golf-related activities revolving around the number 100, participants will raise money for the Colorado Golf Foundation and the Colorado-based youth-oriented golf programs it supports. The Century of Golf Challenge activities can include something like the 100 holes of caddying Mate plans, playing 100 holes of golf (in one day — as with the old Colorado Open Golf Marathon — or any set period up to the entire golf season), or just donating $100 to the Foundation.

In Mate’s case, once a month from May through September, he’s going to caddie for a different twosome, with the hope that the pledges he draws will be earmarked for a specific program the Colorado Golf Foundation supports or is likely to support. For instance, Mate plans to caddie for fellow CU Evans Scholar alums George and Duffy Solich, after whom the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy at CommonGround Golf Course is named. Other programs Mate’s efforts will benefit will be the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools Program, the Western Colorado Golf Foundation, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Colorado Open Golf Foundation.

“The whole spirit of this is a coming together to raise money to advance golf,” Mate said this week.

Mate has set a personal goal of raising $10,000 through pledges for his 100-hole caddie odyssey, preferably with 100 donors or more participating. Overall, Mate hopes that the Century of Golf Challenge will net $100,000 for programs the Foundation will help fund.

“The idea is to get people to engage — to get them to do something that’s meaningful to them,” Mate said. “It’s just as important that we get a large number of people involved” as to meet specific fundraising goals.

Two participants in the Century of Golf Challenge will win tickets to the Nov. 14 Century of Golf Gala featuring Jack Nicklaus. One pair of tickets will go to the person who raises the most money, with the second pair being given to a donor of $100 or more via a random drawing.

With the time around the Masters being an unofficial start to the golf season for many Coloradans, so it is for the Century of Golf Challenge. Within the next couple of weeks, the Colorado Golf Foundation will have a portal set up to accept pledges for activities people have planned in association with the Century of Golf Challenge.

The portal will be accessible through ColoradoGives.org, the website for the annual Colorado Gives Day, with those pledging being able to search the site for the personalized activity they’d like to support. For more information, CLICK HERE. To access the fundraising page for Mate’s personal caddie challenge, CLICK HERE.
 

In fact, the former Denver Country Club caddie, who earned a full tuition and housing Evans Scholarship at the University of Colorado thanks to toting bags as a teenager, will really put his middle-aged body to the test this year. Five times in 2015, he not only plans to caddie, but he’ll carry doubles on each occasion. That tends to wear out high school kids, much less a person pushing 50.

But it’s all for a good cause. With the CGA celebrating the 100th anniversary of its 1915 founding, one of the ways the association is commemorating the milestone is with the season-long, statewide Century of Golf Challenge fundraiser.

Through pledges they collect for golf-related activities revolving around the number 100, participants will raise money for the Colorado Golf Foundation and the Colorado-based youth-oriented golf programs it supports. The Century of Golf Challenge activities can include something like the 100 holes of caddying Mate plans, playing 100 holes of golf (in one day — as with the old Colorado Open Golf Marathon — or any set period up to the entire golf season), or just donating $100 to the Foundation.

In Mate’s case, once a month from May through September, he’s going to caddie for a different twosome, with the hope that the pledges he draws will be earmarked for a specific program the Colorado Golf Foundation supports or is likely to support. For instance, Mate plans to caddie for fellow CU Evans Scholar alums George and Duffy Solich, after whom the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy at CommonGround Golf Course is named. Other programs Mate’s efforts will benefit will be the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools Program, the Western Colorado Golf Foundation, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Colorado Open Golf Foundation.

“The whole spirit of this is a coming together to raise money to advance golf,” Mate said this week.

Mate has set a personal goal of raising $10,000 through pledges for his 100-hole caddie odyssey, preferably with 100 donors or more participating. Overall, Mate hopes that the Century of Golf Challenge will net $100,000 for programs the Foundation will help fund.

“The idea is to get people to engage — to get them to do something that’s meaningful to them,” Mate said. “It’s just as important that we get a large number of people involved” as to meet specific fundraising goals.

Two participants in the Century of Golf Challenge will win tickets to the Nov. 14 Century of Golf Gala featuring Jack Nicklaus. One pair of tickets will go to the person who raises the most money, with the second pair being given to a donor of $100 or more via a random drawing.

With the time around the Masters being an unofficial start to the golf season for many Coloradans, so it is for the Century of Golf Challenge. Within the next couple of weeks, the Colorado Golf Foundation will have a portal set up to accept pledges for activities people have planned in association with the Century of Golf Challenge.

The portal will be accessible through ColoradoGives.org, the website for the annual Colorado Gives Day, with those pledging being able to search the site for the personalized activity they’d like to support. For more information, CLICK HERE. To access the fundraising page for Mate’s personal caddie challenge, CLICK HERE.
 

This week, the focus is more on turkey than two-putts, more on pumpkin pies than pars, and more on family and fellowship than fairways and flagsticks.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t reasons to reflect on the game of golf, and reasons to be thankful for it, especially here in Colorado.

Therefore, in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, here are nine things for which to be grateful, Colorado golf-wise:

— Stellar Golf Venues: Think of the golf courses and locales that are options in the state, and it’s enough to make anyone who loves to play the game salivate as if they were sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner. And not only are venues like Arrowhead (pictured above), the Broadmoor, Ballyneal, Sanctuary, Eisenhower, Perry Park and Red Sky jaw-droppingly beautiful, but the topography of the state makes for a great variety of courses.

— Diversity of Major Events: When The International PGA Tour stop took its final bow in 2006 after a 21-year run, there’s no doubt it created a big void. But looking back on the diversity of tournaments that helped fill that void is truly remarkable. Over the last seven years, Colorado has hosted the best men’s and women’s professionals in the world, the best seniors, as well as the best amateurs. There’s been the 2008 U.S. Senior Open and the U.S. Amateur Public Links, the 2009 Palmer Cup, the 2010 Senior PGA Championship, the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2012 U.S. Amateur, the 2013 Solheim Cup and the 2014 BMW Championship. Suffice it to say it’s been a pretty nice lineup for Colorado golf fans.

— Relatively Inexpensive Golf: While there are plenty of golf courses in Colorado that cost a pretty penny to play, there’s also an abundance of quality, well-maintained venues that charge $40 or less for a round. And there are even some nice courses where you can walk up to the counter on a summer weekend, pay your 18-hole green fee, and get change from the $30 you hand the golf shop attendant. For those who have played much in other states, you can get some pretty good bang for your buck in Colorado.

— Outstanding Golf Associations: While your average golfer in Colorado may or may not know it, there is tireless work being done behind the scenes by local golf associations — the CGA, CWGA, Colorado PGA, the Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents and others — to assure that the game thrives not just now, but well into the future.

Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kent Moore summed it up well on Sunday at the Colorado Golf Awards Brunch. While he was speaking specifically about the CGA, it’s safe to say the general notion applies as well to the other major golf associations in the state: “I’ve seen this come from a cigar box and two guys on the first tee to an incredible organization that runs championships as professional as any you’ll ever see, and now making an incredible impact in the community. It’s just fabulous.”

— Volunteerism: While there are many paid staffers that make Colorado golf special with their day-to-day work, the amount of time and energy and wholehearted effort devoted by volunteers in the game is impressive. More than 2,500 people — 90 percent coming from Colorado — volunteered in the first week of September at Cherry Hills to help make the BMW Championship the PGA Tour’s Tournament of the Year. Other volunteers devote countless hours year-in and year-out to the CGA, CWGA, Colorado PGA and a myriad of other organizations to make the game what it is. In yet another example, just this week it was announced that Colorado Golf Club head professional Graham Cliff will serve as a volunteer assistant coach for the University of Denver men’s golf team. Without all these volunteers — and those who donate financially to the game — golf would be a shell of what it is.

— A Game of Honor: While this one certainly isn’t limited to Colorado, it’s noteworthy that golf is a leader in the world of sports regarding sportsmanship, integrity and honesty. Seldom does more than a couple of months go by without stories coming out about how a golfer reported a costly rules violation on himself or herself that no one else was aware of. Even at this year’s BMW Championship at Cherry Hills, Keegan Bradley withdrew after having lingering doubts about an embedded-ball ruling he received early in the tournament (CLICK HERE). 

— Great Programs for Juniors: Knowing that kids are the future lifeblood of the game, there is particular emphasis in recent times in drawing youngsters to golf and exposing them to all the virtues of the game, including through caddying.

Among the many worthwhile local programs that focus on youth are the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy (left) at CommonGround Golf Course, the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools program, the Evans Scholarship house for caddies at the University of Colorado, and the local First Tee chapters.

— Local Tour Players: Every golf fan has his/her favorite tour players, but many Coloradans take a special interest in those who cut their teeth in the state as junior golfers and college players, then make it to the big time. Certainly that’s true in Colorado, with players like Hale Irwin, Steve Jones, Brandt Jobe, Kevin Stadler, Martin Laird and Jill McGill. And now there’s a younger group of local players who are getting their chance on golf’s big stages, golfers like Mark Hubbard, Espen Kofstad, Emily Talley and Becca Huffer, along with transplanted Coloradans like Sam Saunders. It’s always fun to see the local kid make good on a national/international level.

— The Sheer Camaraderie Achieved Through Golf: As the world gets ever faster-paced, and more and more time is devoted to gadgetry of one type or another, spending a few hours on the golf course with friends, family or random acquaintances can be remarkably refreshing.

Kind of like Thanksgiving.
 

Given how the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools program has grown by leaps and bounds over the last several years, CPGA executive director Eddie Ainsworth can envision a day when the Section would meet the demand by specifically hiring assistant professionals to serve various areas of the state.

“Talk about growth of the game …,” Ainsworth ruminated about the possibilities for Golf in Schools, which is supported by all the Allied Golf Associations of Colorado, including the CGA and CWGA.

But in order for such a thing to be possible, the money has to be there. That’s where the Colorado PGA’s new tee-time alliance comes into play. If coloradopgateetimes.com, which was launched on Masters weekend, is a success in competing against the likes of GolfNow.com, Golf in Schools will be the beneficiary.

“Any money left after advertising, marketing and technology costs will go to Golf in Schools,” Ainsworth said on Friday. “We want to serve as many Golf in Schools programs as possible.”

Golf in Schools introduces the game to kids who wouldn’t otherwise get to experience it. It starts with PGA professionals providing instruction during physical education classes and it continues at golf facilities.

With that as a backdrop, Ainsworth hopes Coloradans — both individual golfers and golf facilities — will see the importance of success for coloradopgateetimes.com. If the initiative takes off, he believes it can benefit not only golf courses — including the local PGA professionals — but it can help build the base of future golfers in the state.

As of the weekend, Ainsworth said 14 courses in Colorado had signed up to participate in coloradopgateetimes.com. The idea of the site is to cut down on the practice of Colorado courses getting tee times filled through one of the many national tee-time services on the market, including GolfNow. Ainsworth hopes that instead of almost all that tee-time service money going out of state, it can stay in Colorado through coloradopgateetimes.com.

Among the Colorado courses currently participating — or just about to participate — in the Section’s tee-time alliance are Aurora Hills, Bear Dance, Fitzsimons, Fossil Trace, Fox Hollow, Homestead, Indian Peaks, King’s Deer (which recently reopened), Meadow Hills, Murphy Creek, the Riverdale courses, Saddle Rock and Springhill.

While that total may currently pale in comparison to the 70-some Colorado courses that utilize GolfNow, coloradopgateetimes.com just came online a month ago. For some golfers, the decision between local and national provider may come down to strictly a “best bang for the buck” decision; others may factor in keeping money in the state.

“My goal is to put (GolfNow and others like it) out of business,” Ainsworth said. “I think easily we could get more than 50 percent of marketshare (with coloradopgateetimes.com. GolfNow and others) don’t do anything for golf in Colorado. They take $1.9 million a year out of the state. If we can keep the money here, why would anybody not want to do it? You know how Coloradans like to support Colorado.

“It’s not that GolfNow are bad people or the enemy. They came up with a solution years ago that people needed. But we have a better solution for Colorado.”

Each coloradopgateetimes.com participating course pays a set amount and establishes its own green-free prices. Part of the set fee goes to the technology involved, another to advertising, marketing and running the system. Whatever is left over will be devoted to Colorado PGA Golf in Schools, which has reached more than 30,000 kids in three-plus years.

“I hope (the number of participating courses) continues to increase,” Ainsworth said. “We didn’t get the go-ahead for this until the end of January. … I haven’t heard anything but good things about the technology from the facilities using it. Now it’s a matter of driving consumers to the site.”

The Colorado PGA formally launched the effort on Masters weekend by running TV commercials that aired just before and after the tournament coverage. And with golf season now upon us, the Section is also planning to advertise in local print, radio and TV outlets that serve sports fans.

The Section is providing an additional incentive for golfers who use coloradopgateetimes.com by conducting periodic drawings for prizes. At the end of each month, winners of a drawing receive golf equipment. And on Aug. 1, there’s a drawing for a trip for four to the 2014 PGA Championship, including airfare and lodging. People are registered for the drawings each time they book a twosome or foursome on the web site.
 

After all, the associations do many other things, including running championships and national qualifiers, growing and protecting the game of golf, handling handicapping and course rating, serving as the local steward for the Rules of Golf and operating the Colorado Junior Golf Association.

The CGA and CWGA both have long held 501(c)3 status as a charitable non-profit — and they have been major supporters of the Evans Caddie Scholarship for several decades — but it wasn’t until the associations officially purchased a golf course that the real push began.

Nowadays, the CGA and CWGA are becoming more and more philanthropically oriented, with most of their efforts benefiting youth development programs. Among the major initiatives they operate outright or have a major hand in, there’s the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, the Evans Scholarship, the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools program, the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program, the CJGA and other junior development programs. And that just hits some of the biggies.

Which brings us to an event which greatly benefits many non-profits throughout the state, Colorado Gives Day, which will take place Tuesday (Dec. 10). The concerted 24-hour effort encourages Coloradans to donate to their favorite local non-profit organizations.

Last year, the event produced $15.7 million for the 1,258 non-profits that participated.

With the CGA and CWGA committed to their community outreach efforts, they’re hoping donors will help the cause on Colorado Gives Day. The CGA and CWGA will have separate donor sites for the event.

“The CGA for many years didn’t have many programs that resonated with donors,” CGA executive director Ed Mate noted. “Starting with (the CGA and CWGA’s ownership) of CommonGround Golf Course and the programs we have there, that has completely changed. Now we’re very philanthropically oriented. Our outreach efforts reach far beyond what they did before. Now every year that goes by, philanthropy is a high priority. And (Colorado Gives Day) is a very prominent part of that.

“It’s a rallying point for our giving campaign. Colorado Gives Day gives you a landmark date to get people thinking about (contributing).”

The CGA participated in Colorado Gives Day for the first time last year and received donations of $2,500 for youth development programs. This year — working in conjunction with the newly formed Colorado Golf Foundation, which eventually will serve as the funding arm for all of the CGA’s philanthropic efforts at CommonGround — the association has stepped up efforts to promote donations through Colorado Gives Day.

Meanwhile, the CWGA is involved in Colorado Gives Day for the first time this year. In addition to the work it does on behalf of the Evans Caddie Scholarship, the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, the Golf in Schools program and the CJGA, the CWGA runs many clinics and social events for women and supports LPGA-USGA Girls Golf of Aurora.

CWGA executive director Robin Jervey said anything the association raises through Colorado Gives Day will go to the girls junior golf efforts the CWGA supports.

“With this being the first year for us, you never know what to expect,” Jervey said. “But right after Kim (Schwartz, CWGA membership programs and marketing manager) sent out the information late last month, a couple of donations popped in, and from names I hadn’t heard of before. That’s a good sign that people do care. And hopefully they’ll show support on the 10th.”

In both the cases of the CGA and CWGA, donations will benefit outreach programs at CommonGround. The course sustained significant damage to eight holes during the September floods, and they’re in the process of being repaired. In the meantime, the course has been operating a nine-hole layout.

“Any dollars that come our way will benefit (the programs at) CommonGround in a roundabout way,” Jervey said.

In addition to whatever donations the CGA and CWGA receive on Tuesday, FirstBank is providing a $250,000 Colorado Gives Day incentive fund that will be proportionally allocated, increasing the value of each donation made that day.

To visit the CGA page for Colorado Gives Day, CLICK HERE.

For the CWGA page, CLICK HERE.

But as she noted at this month’s Denver Golf Expo, she doesn’t consider any of those things her favorite memory regarding the game.

“My greatest memory in golf to this day is walking nine holes with my mom (while) carrying a bag on my back,” Mallon said. “I want every kid and every parent to have that experience.”

Like most people in the golf business, Mallon has seen the worrisome statistics about golf participation trends, especially among females and junior players. According to the National Golf Foundation, the number of female golfers in the U.S. has dropped more than 27 percent, from 7 million in 2005 to 5.1 million in 2011. And the number of junior golfers in the country decreased more than 36 percent (3.8 million to 2.4 million) over the same period.

That’s certainly concerning to those in the golf industry — and really anyone who cares about the game. (So are declines among men since 2005, but those have been significantly less pronounced.)

So how can these trends be reversed, and more girls and women be successfully welcomed into the game?

“Access, access, access,” said Mallon, the American captain for the Solheim Cup that will be contested at Colorado Golf Club in August. “We need to open up our facilities, our golf courses, to get kids more involved. We see countries like Korea and Sweden and now China — it’s all about kids playing golf. This country has not embraced that as much as they should.

“I’m biased. It’s the greatest game in the world. It teaches ethics, morals, the right thing to do, how to get along with people. What greater avenue (than) to teach children the game of golf? So we need to, as adults, make sure that that happens.

“… It’s a hard game. It’s a time-consuming game. You have to give the kids the love of the game so they want to be out there playing. … Make golf fun. It’s not supposed to be like going to the dentist.”

This is also a major issue in Colorado, especially to organizations like the CWGA, CGA, CJGA and the Colorado PGA. Not surprisingly, making inroads in attracting girls and women to the game — or back to the game — will be one of the major themes at Saturday’s CWGA Annual Meeting at the Inverness Hotel. And there are numerous initiatives and efforts designed to combat the problematic trends.

“The goal is to promote women’s golf and grow women’s golf,” said Kim Nissen, membership programs and marketing manager for the CWGA.

“We’re trying to make (the game) as inviting as we possibly can,” said Eddie Ainsworth, executive director of the Colorado PGA, noting that it’s OK to play three or six holes of golf instead of the more traditional nine or 18. “We believe once we get them there, the golf bug will bite them.”

Here are some of the programs and plans that major golf organizations in Colorado hope will make inroads in building a strong foundation in golf with girls and women:

— The Colorado PGA, CWGA and other local organizations will put on a Girls Golf Fair on May 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at CommonGround Golf Course. The free event is for girls age 5-17 and their families, and is billed as “a fun-filled event geared to energize junior girls about the game of golf.”

The day — also sponsored by the CGA, LPGA-USGA Girls Golf, The First Tee at Green Valley Ranch and Girl Power Golf — will include family golf instruction, education on the Rules of Golf and etiquette, lunch and nutrition information, Solheim Cup-related fun and photos, sun protection and fitness tips, games and exhibitions.

— The CWGA continues to significantly expand its social golf outings, designed to attract women more interested in the game as a social activity rather than as competition. This year, there are nine such late afternoon/evening outings planned — seven “Ladies Nights Out” at the Greg Mastriona Golf Courses at Hyland Hills, and one similar event each at Foothills Golf Course and Meridian Golf Club. The activities usually include short clinics or instruction, some playing time on the golf course, help from the CWGA on rules and etiquette, and a get-together with food and/or beverages after. For more details, CLICK HERE.

In addition, a larger number of CWGA Experience outings (four) will be offered this year, all in the spring, with ones in Aurora, Colorado Springs, Thornton and Grand Junction. Experience events include group lessons from LPGA and/or PGA professionals — with rotating instructional areas, each focusing on a different area of the game — lunch and welcome gifts and prizes. For more details, CLICK HERE.

— Seeing many of the best women’s golfers in the world up close and personal is sure to inspire some girls and women, and help increase the game’s reach. That’s where this summer’s Solheim Cup matches between the U.S. and Europe at Colorado Golf Club could make a difference. And helping facilitate that will be the fact that kids 17 and under will be admitted to the event free of charge when accompanied by a ticketed adult.

— The Colorado PGA Golf in Schools program, a joint initiative with the CGA, CWGA and other organizations, continues to expand its reach in bringing golf to students through P.E. classes at their schools. Ainsworth said the Colorado PGA has partnered with P.E. teacher Kenny Webb in the effort, “and the things he’s teaching us on how kids learn is phenomenal. What we’re modeling here in Colorado will go across the country. I like to call us the tip of the spear in what we’re doing with growth of the game.”

— The CWGA has added a new membership identification that will help the association reach out to new golfers for education purposes. Handicap chairpersons at women’s clubs can note an “N” membership type on the Golf Handicap and Information Network (GHIN). Then the CWGA can send these “N” members periodic communication regarding etiquette, the Rules of Golf, and handicap system tips and information. The idea is to make newer women golfers feel more comfortable with the game.

— The Colorado PGA has created a new full-time position — funded by the Colorado PGA Foundation — with the title of junior development director. Erin (Hall) Diegel, a graduate of the Evans Caddie Scholarship program at the University of Colorado and a former CU women’s golfer, will fill the new position, which also will encompass other matters related to women’s and girls golf. Diegel founded Girl Power Golf, which Ainsworth said will be rolled into a Colorado PGA program.

— A “Connecting With Her” Committee” has been formed by the Colorado PGA, which is receiving input from groups such as the CWGA, the Executive Women’s Golf Association and Sassy Golf. And, in trying to build the partnership between women’s clubs and PGA professionals, the CWGA has asked the Colorado PGA’s new director of player development, Keith Soriano, to conduct one of the breakout sessions at Saturday’s CWGA Annual Meeting.

“We’re trying to give women’s clubs reasons to enhance their relationships with their PGA professionals,” Nissen said.

Nissen, meanwhile, will join with Metropolitan State University professor Kathy Malpass in conducting a breakout session on how women’s clubs and leagues can attract new membership. Another breakout will include discussion on how fitness workshops and camps can help add golfers to women’s clubs. And club presidents will share practices that have proven effective in attracting new members and retaining them.

Meanwhile, the Colorado PGA is also partnering with the Solheim Cup in an effort to get more businesswomen involved in the game, and related efforts.

— On a local level in Colorado Springs, the Colorado PGA is planning to work with girls high school golf programs, with PGA and LPGA professionals partnering with coaches. The idea is for the professionals to provide golf instruction, while the coaches focus on the coaching and organizational parts of the job.

In a related matter, Ainsworth said “we’re probably going to look at eventually lobbying to move girls high school golf from the spring” to the fall because of the more-advantageous weather and course conditions.
 

The Section has celebrated the national honors at Orlando-area eateries since 2008, and for the third straight year the restaurant of choice will be Maggiano’s. Considering about 45 people from Colorado PGA membership and staff are expected for the affair, Maggiano’s proprietors no doubt relish the annual visits from the Section.

“It’s now a tradition,” Colorado PGA executive director Eddie Ainsworth noted shortly before departing for Orlando.

After the previous four national awards went to individual members within the Colorado PGA, this time around an honor is going to the Section as a whole. Tim Lollar, the most recent past president of the Section, will formally accept the PGA of America’s national Herb Graffis Award for “extraordinary and exemplary contributions in player development.”

The presentation will take place Tuesday (Jan. 24), and the dinner celebration at Maggiano’s is planned for the following night.

The Graffis honor marks the 14th time a member of the Colorado PGA — or the Section itself — has earned a PGA of America national award. The first came in 1958, when PGA Champion Dow Finsterwald was named Player of the Year. The most recent run of awards have honored Danny Harvanek (2007 Junior Golf Leader), Clayton Cole (2008 Bill Strausbaugh Award for mentoring fellow PGA professionals), Kyle Heyen (2009 President’s Plaque for player development) and Ann Finke (2010 Junior Golf Leader)

As for the 2011 Graffis Award, “to me it’s an acknowledgement of what our Colorado PGA professionals do in their commitment to growing the game,” said Ainsworth, who’s been executive director for the Section since 2008. “It’s special. It rewards all our efforts.”

Ainsworth estimates that between 50 and 75 people will comprise the Colorado contingent  on the Orlando trip, which includes both the PGA Annual Meeting and the PGA Merchandise Show.

Because the award this year honors the Section as a whole, all five Colorado PGA staffers (Ainsworth, R.T. Nelson, Patrick Salva, Diane Plassmeyer and Kaye Grant) were scheduled to make the trip to Orlando.

“The officers thought it was important to reward the staff,” Ainsworth said. “And who wouldn’t want to spend a week in Florida?”

All 41 PGA of America Sections were considered for the Graffis Award, and the Colorado PGA was selected thanks primarily to a couple of initiatives, one of which involved its partners in Colorado golf: the CGA, CWGA, Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents, the Colorado Open Golf Foundation, the Golf Course Owners Association and the Club Managers Association.

“Personally, I love the way we’ve partnered with all the Allied Associations to help grow the game in Colorado,” Ainsworth said.

The Colorado PGA Golf in Schools program — a joint initiative with several of the above-mentioned associations, including the CGA and CWGA — is one of the main ways the Section set itself apart for the Graffis Award.  Golf in Schools, announced a year ago, consolidated several similar programs and has grown greatly over the last 12 months.

The idea is to bring golf directly to kids — through golf professionals providing instruction during physical education classes at school — and expose the game to youngsters who wouldn’t otherwise get to experience golf. And there are follow-up components to encourage the kids to stick with the game over the long haul.

The goal for 2011 was to reach 20 schools and 3,000 kids, but already Golf in Schools has exceeded 40 schools and 8,000 kids. And Ainsworth indicated 85 schools and 15,000 kids are possible by the end of the year.

In addition,  the Colorado PGA teamed up with the USGA to host a “Junior Golf Experience” at the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. At the Experience, youngsters could get help with their golf swing and use the PGA Sports Academy to determine their “fitness handicap” and participate in golf drills.

The Colorado PGA likewise made an impact at the 2010 Senior PGA Championship at Colorado Golf Club in Parker by providing free lessons to the public during tournament week.

“For a state without a lot of tour events, we leveraged the Senior PGA and U.S. Women’s Open pretty well,” Ainsworth said. “We’ve done some things that haven’t been done before.”