$1.66 Million In USGA Grants Announced


May 26, 2005
E-mail address: mediarelations@usga.org

Colorado Springs, Colo. -- The United States Golf Association (USGA) has announced 80 new grants totaling $1,666,126 to non-profit organizations across the country to support affordable and accessible golf programs and facilities.  These new awards will reach more than 110,000 children and individuals with disabilities as part of the USGA's effort to bring golf to audiences who otherwise would not have the opportunity to play.

USGA funding has exceeded $45 million in its effort over the past eight years to support golf instruction, equipment, course and range access, and course construction costs.  But not all USGA funding supports activities strictly on the course.  Among the newest batch of grants, several organizations surfaced which use golf not only as a recreational activity, but also as an educational and therapeutic tool.  It is the hope that these unique projects will further enhance the USGA's mission of bringing the game to new audiences.

"We are excited to lend our support for those programs that continue to grow while welcoming those organizations receiving a USGA grant for the first time," said USGA President Fred Ridley.  "The benefits that will come from these new and innovative ways to introduce the game will undoubtedly affect this sport positively."   

In the realm of education, the USGA awarded $25,000 to the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) in Bellevue, Wash., in support of the First Green of Washington.  The First Green is a science class taught to middle and high school-aged youth that focuses on agronomy, horticulture, and golf course maintenance. This innovative project, operated by the Washington State Subcommittee of the PNGA Green Committee, introduces students to the game of golf from a different perspective.  The First Green of Washington has applied to become its own 501 (c)(3) organization this year.

"USGA grant funds will enable more students and more teachers to understand the environmental benefits of golf courses," said Bill Meyer, chairman of the First Green Washington Committee and director of the Washington State Golf Association.

The program began in 2002 and has since reached 70 schools and nearly 7,000 students.  In 2004, 17 new schools implemented the curriculum.  The First Green can be found in schools across the state of Washington, from Seattle to Spokane.

Students take field trips to local golf courses where they get involved with design or refurbishment projects for a specific part of the golf course.  "Links for Labs" has enabled classes of students to create the landscape refurbishment plans and to use those designs to get hands-on experience planting, seeding, and developing the land.  Some classes have also been given the opportunity to present their design proposals to local city councils for approval.

"The greatest benefit is seeing application from the classroom to the real world.  They see how sound environmental and science principles work in everyday life.  The field trips are a fun and meaningful experience for the students, as they get to see and feel, first-hand, the practical benefits of the golf course, and the environment," said Meyer.

Due to the tremendous success of the First Green in the state of Washington, the organization is looking to expand to new communities.  USGA funds will be used for the development of an educational outreach kit that will provide a guide for communities in Oregon and California to initiate their own First Green program.  In the future, the First Green hopes to expand throughout the country, becoming a national initiative.

The USGA also recently awarded a $9,100 grant to Wayne State University (WSU) for research on the game of golf and the potential impact the game can have on individuals with mental disabilities.  More specifically, Dr. John Dziuba, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at WSU, has proposed to teach golf to patients with schizophrenia with the hope that golf will be a useful a rehabilitation tool.

"We are very excited at WSU Medical School and Sinai Grace Hospital to have received this USGA grant.  This is a truly unique study that would not have been possible without the support of the USGA," said Dr. Dziuba.   "We believe this project will encourage other treatment programs to consider golf as a psycho-social rehabilitation tool to grow the game in areas where it has not been before."

Dr.Dziuba has designed a three-month program which will incorporate 32 adults diagnosed with schizophrenia; during the program, participants will learn the rules and etiquette of golf while spending six weeks on the driving range and three weeks on the golf course.  By measuring cognitive performance, subjective well-being, physical fitness, and quality of life,Dr.Dziuba is hopeful that patients' self-confidence and concentration techniques will improve. 

Another unique program is located in Maypearl, Texas, where the Maypearl Independent School District was awarded a $10,000 grant.  Located approximately 40 miles south of Dallas, Texas, Maypearl is a rural town without a local golf course.  Harlan Lowrance, the local champion, has implemented an instructional golf program for kids from the Maypearl Junior High School.  Although the high school has a golf team of its own, this is the first introductory golf program to touch the Maypearl community.  The goal is to introduce 35 kids to the game of golf by transporting them between 15 and 30 miles to the nearest golf facilities, providing them with professional instruction, and ensuring that every child has the chance to play.  USGA funds will be used for golf equipment, instruction, golf course access and range access.  Maypearl is a true example of a grassroots program - one that will hopefully create a lineage of golfers in the area for years to come.

USGA Grants Initiative: A Capsule History
The United States Golf Association 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.

A complete list of programs receiving funding across the country includes: