2015 Annual Report
A Message from the President of the LPGA Foundation, Nancy Henderson
Over the past five years, I have had the distinct pleasure of leading The LPGA Foundation’s mission of “improving the lives of girls and women through the game of golf.” The LPGA Foundation continues its commitment to introducing girls to the game of golf, providing them with quality opportunities to learn and enjoy the game, awarding scholarships to young women in golf, and providing financial assistance to those in need. 2015 continues the meteoric rise of the LPGA*USGA Girls Golf program. I am proud of our accomplishments and our progress in getting more young women on tees and empowering them to believe that anything is possible. I want to recognize the support of our LPGA Teaching and Club Professional members, PGA Professionals and coaches from The First Tee who helped deliver quality Girls Golf programming to the more than 50,000 girls who were engaged in our program in 2015. This year also marked the launch of the inaugural LPGA Leadership Academy Presented by the AXA Foundation. I was personally involved in that program and can tell you that this program is already changing lives. We look to further expand this initiative in the years to come with continued support from our partners and industry allies. As we look forward to 2016, I am confident that we will continue to positively impact the lives girls and women through golf. On behalf of all of the members of the Ladies Professional Golf Association and the LPGA Foundation Board of Directors, I want to thank all of those involved in the success of the LPGA Foundation’s initiatives and the LPGA*USGA Girls Golf program. Together, we truly are making a difference. #LittleGirlsBIGDreams
Nancy Henderson 2
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Who We Are and What We Do •
LPGA*USGA Girls Golf (Girls Golf) is administered in partnership between the LPGA Foundation and the United States Golf Association.
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For more than 25 years, Girls Golf has been the only national program of its kind that specializes in providing a “girl-friendly”, girls-only environment for juniors to learn and play the game of golf.
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Girls Golf teaches more than the game of golf; we empower and inspire girls for the game of life through the “Five E’s” of Girls Golf: Empower, Enrich, Engage, Exercise, and Energize.
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There are more than 300 Girls Golf sites in communities across the country led by LPGA and PGA Professionals and chapters of The First Tee.
The Case for Girls Golf •
Why girls only? Studies consistently show that girls reap the biggest rewards when learning in all-girl environments, allowing them to feel more comfortable learning the game in a setting where they are free to be themselves.
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More than 40% of girls drop out of sports all together by the age 14. Participation in sports is linked to better grades and diminished chances for obesity.
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Girls Golf programs offer positive learning environments that focus on teaching important life skills specific to girls including: self-image, finding their voice, leadership/teambuilding, leading active/healthy lifestyles, and more.
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Junior golf programs, like The First Tee, chapters that offer girls-only, Girls Golf programming, experience a 50% higher retention rate than those who do not.
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Connection to the LPGA Tour Through our connection to the LPGA Tour, LPGA Teaching Professionals and the USGA, we provide role models and an understanding of the rules and history of the game. More than 40 members of the LPGA Tour or Symetra Tour started their golf journey at an LPGA-USGA Girls Golf program, including Brittany Lincicome, Cheyenne Woods, Morgan Pressel, Vicky Hurst, and Kathleen Ekey.
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Brittany Lincicome
Morgan Pressel
Cheyenne Woods
Girls Golf Growth – Where We Have Been Over the past five years, we have increased the number of girls introduced to golf through Girls Golf by 900%, going from 5,000 girls in 2010 to more than 50,000 girls in 2015. This growth is due to increases in the number of Girls Golf sites and outreaching to like-minded, all-girl organizations like the Girls Scouts, Girls on the Run, Girls Inc., and Girls in the Game. »» Last year alone, over 50,000 young women experienced golf (many for the first time), via an LPGA*USGA Girls-Golf program. Dollars do make a difference. Thanks to support from LPGA Tour Players, the USGA, RR Donnelly, and many golf industry organizations, we have increased grant dollars awarded to directly support Girls Golf site directors and their members by 150% over the last 5 years.
What People are Saying Wall Street Journal – “Young Women Tee Off to Save Golf” “In the recent sports participation study by the Physical Activity Council, golf cracked the top 10 activities only among people 65 years old and older. And yet, Girls Golf, a girls-only program for golfers under 17 run by the LPGA and the U.S. Golf Association, is booming.”
USGA – “A rising Star: LPGA-USGA Girls Golf” “Although centered around golf, LPGA*USGA Girls Golf also works on improving life skills specific to young girls, including self-esteem, leadership, confidence and perseverance.
Shape Magazine – “Lexi Thompson is proving golf isn’t just a guys’ sport” “The women’s game is growing tremendously. I’m part of the LPGA*USGA Girls Golf program, and I see tons of little girls picking up a club and getting into the game. The game is getting younger and a lot of girls are getting into it. It’s great to be a role model. I’m just doing what I love—I want to show that I went after my dreams.” – Lexi Thompson
Rob Snow/Red Bull Content Pool
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What’s Next •
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LPGA Leadership Academy »»
Something for older girls: In 2015, we began a new, exciting journey, as we introduced a two-day LPGA Leadership Academy to keep teenage girls engaged in golf and prepare them for leadership opportunities
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The LPGA Leadership Academy provides a framework for young women to further develop their confidence, communication, and leadership skills.
We use the game of golf as a platform and learning tool to: »»
teach girls how to become better decision makers
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overcome and let go of setbacks
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take calculated risks and “Lean In”
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develop skills to accomplish specific goals
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play their own game and find their own voice
Annika Sörenstam
Program Ambassador & Spokeswoman
89 Professional Wins Entrepreneur Mentor Leader
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#SocialButterflies In 2015, we reached more than 300,000 fans both on our website and through social media! Here are a few of our most popular posts and stories throughout the year:
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January – PGA Show Junior Golf Seminar Girls Golf’s first educational seminar delivered insights and best practices for golf industry professionals and marked the launch of the new Girls Golf PLAYbook (a 260-page resource with girl-friendly lesson plans for golf instructors).
January
February
March
March – LPGA Founders Cup – #LittleGirlsBIGDreams Campaign kick-off Girls Golf’s LPGA Tour Ambassadors Brittany Lincicome, Lizette Salas, Tiffany Joh, Lexi Thompson, and Stacy Lewis helped kick off the #LittleGirlsBIGDreams campaign, celebrating the lives which have been inspired by the game of golf.
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May – Girls Golf PSA filming with Paula Creamer US Women’s Open Champion Paula Creamer became a Girls Golf spokeswoman starring in the new “Little Girls…BIG Dreams” PSA helping to amplify the Girls Golf movement.
April
May
June
June – KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Girls Golf Clinic More than 75 local girls were introduced to the game golf during the Girls Golf Extravaganza, hosted at the inaugural KPGM Women’s PGA Championship.
July – National Girls Golf Academy hosted in Asheville, North Carolina
October – Launch of the NEW GirlsGolf.org and LPGAFoundation.org
The popular Girls Golf Academy returned to Asheville Country Club to educate and energize girls ages 6 - 13 through the “Five E’s” of Girls Golf.
Girls Golf’s online presence received a fresh new makeover. The beautifully designed website features easier navigation, a mobile friendly platform, and a new home for the Girls Golf blog.
September –LPGA Foundation Scholarships awarded Twenty-five outstanding high school seniors were awarded more than $50,000 in funding from the LPGA Foundation to pursue higher education.
July
August
September
October
November December
August – Inaugural LPGA Leadership Academy presented by AXA hosted in New York In partnership with the AXA Foundation, the LPGA Foundation hosted the very first Leadership Academy for girls ages 13 – 18 to discover their own leadership potential using golf as a medium.
November – Marilynn Smith Scholarship Golf Fundraiser LPGA Founder Marilynn Smith’s annual golf tournament raised more than $150,000 for the Marilynn Smith Scholarship fund.
December – PNC Girls Golf Extravaganza in Orlando, Florida The PNC Girls Golf Extravaganza brought more than 100 juniors and their families to the PNC Father/Son Challenge for inside the ropes fun through the “Five E’s” of Girls Golf.
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Dolores Hope Financial Assistance The LPGA Foundation has a tradition of taking care of its members and others in the golf industry. The Financial Assistance Fund was renamed the Dolores Hope LPGA Financial Assistance Initiative in 2007 to acknowledge Hope’s generous support of the fund and her longtime friendship with the LPGA.
FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS The Dinah Shore Scholarship is awarded to an outstanding female, high school senior who played golf during high school but will not be playing collegiate golf. »»
One $5,000 scholarship is awarded annually
The Marilynn Smith Scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who will be playing golf at the collegiate level. »»
(25) $5,000 scholarships were awarded in 2015 to the most highly-qualified candidates.
The Phyllis G. Meekins Scholarship is a need-based award given to a high school senior from a recognized minority background who will be playing golf at the collegiate level. »»
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One $1,250 scholarship is awarded annually.
Founding Partners
LPGA Foundation Partners RR Donnelley AXA PREP Cosmetics
Industry Partners LPGA LPGA Teaching & Club Professionals Symetra Tour Masters Tournament Foundation EWGA PGA of America PGA Tour
Allied Organizations Peggy Kirk-Bell Tour Girls on the Run Girls in the Game Girls Inc PowerPlay NYC
LPGA Foundation Board of Directors Nancy Lopez, Honorary Member Karen Furtado, Board Chair Mike Whan, LPGA Commissioner Nancy Henderson, President LPGA Foundation Liz Moore, Board Secretary, LPGA Chief Legal Officer Kathy Milthorpe, Board Treasurer, LPGA Chief Financial Officer
Lynn Connelly
Ron Ciesla
Barb Kauffman
Sharon Ritchey
Donna Bailey
Allan Tanenbaum
Jack North
Suzanne Townsen
Margaret Downey
Deb Vangellow
Christina Zacamy
Vicki Goetze-Ackerman
Contact Us
100 International Golf Drive Daytona Beach, FL 32124 386-274-6200 hello@girlsgolf.org
girlsgolf.org /girlsgolf /@lpgagirlsgolf /@girlsgolf