GAM Foundation Surpasses $1Million In Youth On Course Subsidies

NATIONAL DAY OF GIVING NEWS

GAM Foundation Surpasses $1 Million in Subsidies Via Youth on Course

  FARMINGTON HILLS – The Michigan golf season enjoyed an extension with good fall weather, golfers flocked to courses and the Golf Association of Michigan Foundation’s Youth on Course program reached a major milestone.

  “I have big news to share,” said Foundation Director Laura Bavaird in a recent note to foundation board members and staff. “After October’s incredible weather the GAM Foundation has surpassed the $1 million in subsidies mark. This is truly an unbelievable moment for our grassroots foundation, and I am beyond proud to be here for it.”

  The GAM’s Youth on Course involvement – which was started in 2017 by now retired Executive Director David Graham and GAM Foundation members after learning of the national Youth on Course model – has subsidized participating golf courses $1,004,115, including a record $253,535 in 2024.

   The Youth on Course model allows youth golfers ages 6 to 18 to play golf rounds at the participating courses for $5 or less. The GAM Foundation works with the courses and clubs to subsidize them for taking part in the grow-the-game initiative.

  In 2024,11,520 YOC Michigan members played 45,311 rounds and hit 3,754 buckets of balls at 100 participating facilities, which means in the eight years of Youth on Course Michigan 51,967 members have been involved in 172,108 rounds and buckets of balls hit combined. Those numbers have added up to reaching $1 million in subsidies.

   “I’m excited we have taken a program handed off to staff by previous staff and volunteers who had a great vision to this level,” said current GAM Executive Director Chis Whitten. “The numbers prove they were right to help junior golfers and take the GAM’s relationship with member courses and clubs to another level as well.”

  Cathy Kalahar, president of the GAM Foundation, said reaching $1 million in subsidies demonstrates that Youth on Course is a win-win for all involved.

  “I think it is in the sweet spot of affordability for parents,” she said. “It helps family budgets, their kids are engaged and able to be with kids in the neighborhood or teams, find new golf buddies and it becomes a fun, healthy, outside activity. Compare the price of playing golf for a few hours in Youth on Course to going to a movie. It is so affordable and it’s fun. On the other side of it, the clubs and courses see young people coming to their courses, and it helps take care of slower times on their courses. That’s the win-win.”

  Kalahar said she read that a National Golf Foundation survey suggested there are still six million youth in the U.S. who want to try golf for the first time.

  “I think that means our numbers are going to keep going up,” she said. “With the exception of the Covid year (2020), it has been a total stair step up. We keep thinking it might level off, but it doesn’t in terms of youth playing and in terms of fundraising. I believe there are still a lot of people who don’t know about Youth on Course. As we make it more visible those numbers will keep growing.”

  Kalahar said fundraising to cover the rounds for youth and the subsidies remains paramount.

  “We have a very active board, very committed and active board, and everyone supports youth playing more golf,” she said. “Everyone sees the value of it. It’s a feel-good program which helps make it relatively easy to fundraise. It’s as simple as giving $20 to fund four rounds of golf for kids. How do people not feel good about that?”

  Whitten said Youth on Course has established itself as a primary part of the GAM’s mission to serve golf in the state.

  “Reaching one million in subsidies shows it is real and getting to this point is something we will talk about for a long time,” he said. “It works because it is simple to explain and simple to understand for families. Anyone who plays golf under 18, this is for them. In addition, it gets to the core of getting more kids on the golf course more often at an affordable price. It’s important and impactful for a lot of people.”

  Kalahar said she wants to thank foundation board members, including John Schulte, foundation president emeritus, and the many donors who have contributed since 2017.

  “I hope they all continue to support us and hope they help us bring in more donors,” she said. “We want to stay ahead of these great numbers, and any amount of donation helps us do that.”

Bavaird believes the Youth on Course magic is in providing a bridge to the golf courses from partner programs like First Tee and TGA (Teach-Grow-Achieve).

  “First Tee, TGA, they are the boots on the ground introducing and teaching golf, and we are step two, giving an affordable option to practice and play and use the skills they have learned,” she said.

  To learn more or donate, go to the GAM Foundation website page.  To join Youth on Course Michigan CLICK HERE. Contact Laura Bavaird at [email protected]  or 248-417-0428.