Tennessee Golf Foundation Background
The Tennessee Golf Foundation operates a variety of junior golf programs across the state and also provides grants to other organizations that conduct junior golf programs. Over 3,000 children participated in our supported programs in 2007 and they learn the positive values and fun that the game provides. Golf House Tennessee also serves as the home for the state’s golf associations; a nine-hole, par three course and the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame. Over 50 varieties of grasses found on The Little Course at Conner Lane provide a state-of the-art real world laboratory for turfgrass researchers from the University of Tennessee. Programs overseen or operated by the Tennessee Golf Foundation include the TGA Junior Tour, The Tennessee PGA Junior Golf Academy, The First Tee (in Nashville, Tri-Cities and Clarksville), Screaming Eagle Scholarships and the programs and events held at The Little Course at Conner Lane. Regional directors are in place in Memphis and Tri-Cities to help localize the Foundation’s programs in their areas.
Tennessee Golf Foundation Three Key Mission Components
Youth and the Disadvantaged
Most children in society today face various levels of being "at risk.” Today's young person has many obstacles in their way to achieving success, such as gangs, drugs, smoking, lack of exercise, overeating, divorced and/or apathetic parents, bad role models and peer pressure. Golf is a game that can assist in dealing with some of these challenges through the inherent lessons taught by the game.
Life-Enhancing Values
Golf is a game that helps youth deal with critical decisions in their young lives. These values carry-over into adulthood as well, so creating activities to learn, play and compete is vital for the well being of our youth and these opportunities to learn and play the game be optimized in a healthy golf economy.
Promote Golf
A strategic plan began in 2006 that focused on regional development with a network of regional directors to extend the reach of the TGF’s staff from the middle Tennessee home office to all parts of the state. Our goal is to help reverse the trend of less golf being played by “core golfers” In Tennessee, the number of players with established handicaps is down 16% TGF seeks to increase rounds by current players and creating new golfers among juniors, women and young adults.
