Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36January 2017 | 27 Subscribe today at juniorgolfmag.net and promotional signs. Fortunately, a local newspaper carried his story and assisted his ef- forts. Justin was able to present his friend with a nice check for over $ 5,000. In Minnesota, Golf for Hope, a youth program developed by past LPGA Tour Player and PGA member Andrea Kellar, enlightens young golfers about providing for the needs of others. The organization stages a 100-hole marathon played in a single day by groups of juniors – each playing a designated number of holes with their golf professional. Groups of young players may play 9 holes; others may play 18 or more, depending on their ability and stamina. They all solicit donations and pool them as a team, then make a collaborative decision on how to disperse the funds. This has created a great bond among young team members and also with their golf professionals. Golf for Hope has raised over $ 50,000 for numerous charities, including Peace House for disadvantaged kids in Tanzania, Children’s Heart Foundation, Special Olympics and more. FIND YOUR OWN CHARITY NICHE There are plenty of opportunities to become involved. Just check into some of your local charities that are staging golf events for worthy causes. Don’t be afraid to ask how you can par- ticipate. Once you get familiar with the charity environment, you may want to find a cause of your own to support and put a team of friends together to help you develop a workable plan. Charity events of this type speak well for our wonderful game and for a new generation of players learning lessons early. Mike Schultz was the head golf professional at Hazeltine National Golf Club for over 35 years and is a former National PGA Professional of theYear. He is the Founding Partner/ Chairman of Four Under Golf Partners, which designs and manages golf events for charitable foundations and corporations. Just how widespread is the concept of juniors playing for others? Forward-thinking parents are now purchasing spots in local charity events or asking their junior golfers to contribute toward entry fees to events that support various charities. GolfingWorldComes TogetheratthePGAShowBY JUNIOR GOLF STAFF T he epicenterofthe golfingworldwill be squarely situated in Orlando, Florida, January 24-27. It’s hard to believe that it’s already time again for the PGA Merchandise Show. This is the place where Junior Golf first introduced its concept of a magazine targeted specifically to junior golfers and received the encouragement of so many people, convincing us to launch it several months later. We took our idea to the show because great inspiration happens there every year. Junior Golf will be at this year’s show as well. The event, which will be held at Orlando’s Orange Coun- ty Convention Center, highlights a wide range of new equipment, the latest in trend-setting apparel, famous brands of all types and, especially, exciting new technology that continues to propel the game into new dimensions that captivate millions of fans. Visitors to the show will be able to stop by the new product zone, the equipment test center, the golf travel pavilion, the fitness & wellness village – and even watch a live fashion show! Whether you’re interested in the most advanced golf cleats, new high-tech golf balls, simulators, launch monitors or a wide array of teaching tools, they’re all at the show. PGA professionals will be sharpen- ing their craft through various classes, seminars and panel discussions, too. One of the most popular events is Tuesday Demo Day, where various man- ufactures and golf professionals demo their latest equipment and technology at Orange County National Golf Center, which features a massive circular driving range that’s more than 400 yards in diameter. Perhaps most importantly, the PGA Show reminds us of how stable and forward-thinking the golf industry is today. Even after the peaking of the Tiger Woods phenomenon and the closing of several well-known golfing retail operations, the sport continues to at- tract participants from all age ranges, cultures and walks of life. The number of junior golfers is now approaching 3 million in the U.S. alone, according to some estimates. With those factors in mind, the show provides an opportunity to stoke the excitement and to convince those in the industry to seek out even more new ideas, products and services that will make the game even better. So it’s off to the show…hope to see you there! Demo Day is a popular show event Equipment testing highlights new innovations PHOTOS BY MONTANA PRITCHARD/THE PGA OF AMERICA