U.S. Kids Golf is a United States-based company specializing in serving young players in the sport of golf. Founded in 1996, U.S. Kids Golf has both an LLC component and a Foundation side, and the two operate the four main pillars of its core business: 1.) Equipment 2.) Tournaments 3.) Coaches Institute 4.) Longleaf Golf & Family Club. The for-profit business side is headquartered in
Peachtree Corners, Georgia
Peachtree Corners is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area, and is the largest city in Gwinnett County with a population of 42,243 as of the 2020 US Census.
Peachtree Corners is the only ...
while the Foundation headquarters is located in
Pinehurst, North Carolina.
Mission Statement:
The mission statement of U.S. Kids Golf reads: To help kids have fun learning the lifelong game of golf and to encourage family interactions that builds lasting memories.
History
U.S. Kids Golf was founded in 1997 by Dan Van Horn. Van Horn, a former golf professional and engineering major, was inspired to create a line of lighter golf clubs after taking his son to a local golf course and realizing he was having trouble getting the ball up in the air while using a cut down adult golf club. By removing some weight from the back of the club, he saw immediate results in his son's golf swing, and subsequent, enjoyment level of playing. The idea has grown into the largest kids golf organization in the world.
* In 2000, U.S. Kids Golf held its first World Championship for Kids in
Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island is located off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia, in Glynn County. It is one of the Sea Islands and one of the Golden Isles of Georgia barrier islands. The island is owned by the State of Georgia and run by a self-sustaining, s ...
, Georgia.
* In 2001, U.S. Kids Golf established the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation, a non-profit division dedicated to serving families through teaching golf and hosting competitive events.
* In 2002, Local Tours for kids were started, with the first being staged in Atlanta, Georgia. Also that year, the World Championship was moved to
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 15,425. Located on the Virginia Peninsula, Williamsburg is in the northern part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. It is ...
.
* In 2004, U.S. Kids Golf established its first Top 50 Kids Coaches award.
* In 2005, the first U.S. Kids Golf Teen World Championship was held in
Naples, Florida
Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the historical city (i.e. in the immediate vicinity of downtown Naples) was 19,115. Naples is a principal city of the Naples-Marco Island, Flori ...
and the World Championship was moved to Pinehurst, North Carolina. In 2008, both events were staged in Pinehurst where they remain to this day.
* In 2012, the U.S. Kids Golf Coaches Institute was founded with the idea to train coaches interested in focusing on junior golf instruction with best practices and continuing education.
* In 2015, the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation purchased Longleaf Golf & Country Club in Southern Pines, NC in an effort to better learn the business challenges and industry needs from the golf course perspective. The name was changed to Longleaf Golf & Family Club with the intent of being a “Living Lab” for best practices in how to serve current players, members, parents, and kids being introduced to the game. As part of this goal, U.S. Kids Golf established the first U.S. Kids Golf Academy on the site, creating a premier learning environment for new players. Beginning with zero students in a highly competitive market, the academy soon grew to over 400 kids within 3 years of operation.
* In 2018, the National Golf Foundation cited U.S. Kids Golf as one of the Top 100 Businesses in Golf. The biannual award was also given to U.S. Kids Golf in 2020.
* In 2022, Golf Business Magazine wrote "no company in golf has done more to grow the game than U.S. Kids Golf. In fact, it's not close."
References
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External links
U.S. Kids Golf Homepage
Golf associations
Amateur golf
Junior golf
Sports organizations established in 1996
Sports organizations of the United States