Growing up, I experienced those same challenges first hand. I was incredibility fortunate to be able to join a youth program at my local municipal course that allowed me to play unlimited golf for $100 a summer. That $100 was not easy to come by, but was worth scraping together due to the access it afforded. As a frame of reference, that program no longer exists. In all my travels, I have noticed that affordable access opportunities are the exception and not the norm in golf as well as in many other sports.

People talk about growing the game of golf and I truly believe that affordable access is the biggest obstacles for young players to overcome. I am certain if I did not have the junior program at Gastonia Municipal, I wouldn’t be playing a sport I love.