Youth on Course

Minnesota

Youth on Course, a junior golf program launched in Northern California some dozen years ago, is generating buzz among state and regional golf administrators, says Joel Comstock, a long-time MGA staff member and the local YoC representative in Minnesota. 

For $25, any youth golfer age six to 18 years can join the program at youthoncourse.org and play golf for $5 or less. In Minnesota, YOC golfers have access to a growing list of more than 25 local public golf courses offering green fees for $5 or less. 

Minnesota, along with Wisconsin and Iowa, is among nearly two dozen states that collectively account for more than 1,200 participating courses nationwide, where YOC members can play for $5 or less. One of the more prominent YoC facilities is Chambers Bay, located near Tacoma, Wa., which played host to the 2016 U.S. Open.

“Our goal is to create a Youth on Course community among junior golfers and to provide access to the game by eliminating the expense barrier to participation,” said Comstock.

By year-end 2020, Youth on Course recruited more than 11,000 youth members and more than 80 participating golf courses in Minnesota. Last year, YOC members saved an average of $100 on their golf rounds. MNYOC, now in its fifth year in Minnesota, is entirely subsidized through sales of the Minnesota Golf License Plate and fundraising efforts by the MGA and participating golf courses, Comstock says. 

Look for the YoC logo at your local participating golf course or visit mngolf.org/youthoncourse.