On Sunday, two of the most prominent success stories from Colorado junior golf over the last several decades showed their stuff on national stages.
Mark Hubbard, winner of the CGA Junior Stroke Play and Junior Match Play in 2007, finished 26th in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, marking his fourth top-30 showing of the season on the PGA Tour.
And Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Brandt Jobe, who likewise won the CGA Junior Stroke Play and Junior Match Play, finished sixth in just his third start on the PGA Tour Champions circuit, at the Chubb Classic.
With that as a backdrop, Colorado junior golf took another big step forward on Tuesday as details of a new alliance were announced at the G4 Summit of industry leaders at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.
The CGA and Colorado PGA, which last fall announced plans to join forces to bolster junior golf in the state, unveiled the name for their joint venture — the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado — and the alliance’s logo and tagline (#jackedforjrgolf). In addition, the alliance’s website, juniorgolfcolorado.org, will be fully launched early next month, though some relevant basic information is on the site currently.
The alliance also opened tournament registration for the junior golf schedule which for the first time features four major championships and more than 70 events overall (CLICK HERE for schedule). The first events on the 2016 schedule are set for April 16-17 in Colorado Springs. With the help of the CWGA, a contributing partner for the alliance, the four junior majors will feature divisions for both boys and girls.
Golfers must be a member of the JGAC to sign up for events. A membership costs $100. Some of the benefits of that membership include a GHIN handicap number, college preparation counseling, volunteer opportunities, and rounds of free golf.
The junior alliance will have events both for top-level players — including a Junior Tour which will feature the four junior majors — as well as for up-and-coming golfers through the development Junior Series. In short, there will be tournaments and events for players of all ages (starting at 6) and abilities.
“This is going to be huge,” said Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Alan Abrams (left), the first president for the alliance and a past recipient of the national Junior Golf Leader award from the PGA of America. “This is going to be great for our juniors, parents and grandparents. It’s going to be great for the game. And it’s going to be a win-win for those of those in golf.
“This is very historic for the state of Colorado. … I’m jacked for junior golf.”
Several Colorado junior golfers from years past who have gone on to success professionally will be lending their names to the JGAC cause, including Hubbard; Becca Huffer, a former CWGA Player of the Year and three-time Junior Player of the Year who went on to win the CoBank Colorado Women’s Open; and Kelly Jacques, a two-time CWGA Junior Player of the Year who competed in five events on the LPGA Tour in 2013. Both Huffer and Jacques qualified for and played in the U.S. Women’s Open in 2012. Huffer has played on the Symetra Tour in recent years, while Jacques works for Golf Channel.
The new Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado website, juniorgolfcolorado.org, will, when fully functional, include registration for Junior Tour and Junior Series events, and information on the PGA Junior League; the Colorado PGA Golf in Schools program, which exposes school kids to the game through P.E. classes; the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy; the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship; the First Tee and much more. Basically, it’s a clearinghouse for all things junior golf in Colorado.
The alliance also offers a “player development pathway” which can help a junior golfer identify more playing opportunities based on his or her skill level. That includes programs such as Golf in Schools, PGA Junior League, Drive Chip & Putt, instructional camps, clinics and more.
All in all, the idea is to streamline, improve and expand the junior golf experience in Colorado.
A further rollout of the junior golf alliance to the general public will take place this weekend at the Denver Golf Expo, set for Friday through Sunday (Feb. 19-21) at the Denver Mart (58th and I-25).
The logo for the Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado was designed by Adrenalin, the same company that came up with the logos for the CGA that were unveiled a year ago. Adrenalin, Inc., a branding, marketing and design agency based in Denver, has also done logos and other services for the Phoenix (now Arizona) Coyotes of the NHL and the University of Denver.
