by Dakota Diaz
TGA Premier Golf – Well Positioned During This Golfing Boom
National after school golf and camp programs return to schools and marches toward one million golfers
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GA Premier Sports (TGA), the go-to brand for introducing children to sports and the nation’s most prolific provider of in-school- and community-based golf enrichment and camp programs, returns to school campuses and continues to be directly in the middle of this current economic golf boom. TGA (Teach, Grow, Achieve) is the first and still only youth sports franchise model dedicated to the sport of golf. Each TGA chapter and owner is vested in their communities to grow the sport. Programs can be found in more than 77 markets across 28 states. Its continued growth has impacted over 825,000 youth and has made golf available to 1.75 million families. TGA is on pace to register the program’s ONE-MILLIONTH student in 2022. TGA is introducing thousands of kids (ages 5-12) to the sport on school campuses, community centers and golf courses. With 70 percent of its participants and their families being new to the sport, TGA successfully funnels 40 percent of its total participants to golf facilities and national golf programs. Classes are also being utilized anywhere regardless of weather, including gymnasiums, hallways, cafeterias, fields, and blacktops giving the program the ability to run year-round. Below are a couple examples of what TGA programs are doing nationwide. Motor City TGA Becomes a Driving Force for the Future of Women’s Golf Dave Robinson, a former sports editor and deputy managing editor with the Detroit Free Press, is the director of TGA of Southeast Michigan. His local TGA program is doing an impressive job planting the seed for the future and growing the sport in more than 90 schools in the metro Detroit. This includes the growing
8 Golf Vacations • October 2021
popularity of girls’ golf, where last fall, Robinson had 26 former students, who started with TGA, qualify for the girls’ high school state championships. “Over 40 percent of our registrations in our introductory programs have been young girls who want to learn and play the sport, so to see these girls go through the program, progress, and want to continue on into competitive golf is really exciting.” Said Robinson. “Once the students go through the enrichment programs and camps, the next progression for kids who want to take their game to the next level are fall and spring leagues, plus individual tournaments. We provide a low-stress introduction to competitive golf.” One of the largest TGA golf chapters in the country is owned by Kevin Rooney and located in Westchester (NY) and Bergen (NJ) Counties Kevin Rooney has welcomed over 25,000 students to date through his TGA golf programming, which is now back running a full schedule this fall at schools and community centers. “Throughout the last 18 months, with so much uncertainty, the sport of golf has shined. While we couldn’t be in schools, our partnerships with parks and recreation departments, golf courses, indoor facilities, and other non-traditional facilities, TGA Premier Golf has seen its most participation ever,” said Rooney. “The interest in golf is at an all-time high. It provides an opportunity for kids and adults to participate in a sport that is considered “low-risk” and safe. No matter the age or experience level, people can play golf in many different formats today. Kids and adults are having a great time playing and learning the game through TGA clinics, lessons, and camps. And our coaches couldn’t be more enthusiastic about growing the game and passing on their excitement about golf to new people.” For more information about TGA, visit www.playtga.com or follow @TGA_Sports on Twitter.
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