It’s a good walk for a grander cause.
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The third 100-Hole Hike benefitting GAP Youth on Course takes place Oct. 7 at Glenhardie Country Club in Wayne, Pa. Golfers (hikers), from all backgrounds will traverse 100 holes to support Youth on Course and the opportunities it affords junior golfers. Each hiker raises a minimum pledge level of $2,500.
Golf begins at sunrise.
Youth on Course is a non-profit organization in partnership with GAP providing junior golfers with playing opportunities at more than 40 area courses for $5 or less. Through donations, GAP subsidizes the remaining costs of each round. Lowering golf’s entry barriers allows for continued growth of the game among children and adolescents exposing them to opportunities afforded by the sport. With your support, GAP and Youth on Course can continue to grow this GAP member benefit. Youth on Course also offers scholarship, mentorship and professional development opportunities.
“For each $5 round a GAP Youth on Course member plays, GAP subsidizes an additional amount per round to the course. Through our 100-Hole Hike, we are raising donations to help cover those subsidies,” GAP Director of Member Outreach Jason Funderburg said. “When looking into barriers of entry into the game that we all love, cost is the No. 1 factor. Eliminating the cost barrier gives so many juniors the opportunity to spend time with their friends, learn the life lessons the game teaches and creates golfers for life.”
“The success of Youth on Course is easily measured by the growth of our membership, expansion of our partner courses, and ultimately the number of rounds subsidized for young people,” Youth on Course’s National Events Manager Rachel Miller said. “AGAs play a crucial role in this effort to ensure we can collectively continue providing opportunities to youth across the country and internationally. By hosting fundraising events in their regions, AGA partners are able to fund Youth on Course operations and have ownership over growing and investing in the game for the next generation of golfers.”
Participating hikers include: Andrew Austen, Dan Hershberg, Andrew Knapp, Chris Napolitano, Chill Moody, Michael Spease, Sam Spuhler and Katrin Wolfe. Each participant has a unique connection to junior golf.
Spectators are welcome to cheer on hikers as they near the finish line.
Glenhardie is a family-friendly, private country club. In addition to a nine-hole par-3 golf course, the club offers fitness, racquets, dining, youth summer camps and social events for its members.
“We are promoting junior golf as best we can,” Glenhardie’s General Manager Ralph Richardson, 67, of Colmar, Pa., said. “This year is our first year in the GAP. We’re excited about hosting [the 100-Hole Hike].”
GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The organization’s 345 Member Clubs and 110,000 individual members are spread across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.
