CN Future Links Golf with Canadian PGA Pros at the Canadian Open

CN Future Links Golf with Canadian PGA Pros at the Canadian Open

MARKHAM, ONT (July 27, 2007) - CN Future Links, Canada's National Junior Golf Program, hosted free junior golf clinics at the Canadian Open at Angus Glen today in front of the pro shop with Canadian PGA certified professionals. Kids were selected from local camps and were involved in a short game lesson and a putting contest earlier today under the leadership of Canadian PGA professionals.

To find out about a CN Future LInks program in your area visit www.future-links.org

Interested in starting a Future Links program at your facility?

Future Links can help you enhance, expand or establish a junior golf program at your facility by implementing some or all of the CN Future Links program. If you are interested in conducting any of the following activities, give the office a call and they will send you what you need to get started. All you require is a site to conduct the event and some willing volunteers. You can also promote your program through the Future Links Web site.

Clinic Program (Levels 1 – 3)
Implement a Future Links clinic at your club to teach kids of all abilities the skills they need to play golf, using the fun, user-friendly instruction system. Three levels of instruction outlined in easy-to-use instructor’s manuals provide a detailed model curriculum (optional) to follow covering golf technique, drills, games, etiquette, rules and a little history. Skills Testing gives the juniors an opportunity to try and beat ‘par’ to complete each level and acquire their recognition stickers -- then it’s on to the next level! Future Links will help you promote the clinic with FREE posters, window stickers, site signs and a turnkey press release you can issue to local media. Economical junior merchandise such as student guides, rulebooks, golf hats, bag tags, t-shirts, can also be purchased to enhance your program.

Golf Buddy Program
Host a Golf Buddy adult-child tournament to make golf more accessible to juniors. The Golf Buddy Tournament is a nice compliment to a Future Links clinic and a good way to establish adult mentors, or “buddies”, for juniors. You organize the tournament (Team scramble, alternate shot, better ball, etc…) and Future Links will provide a FREE Golf Buddy Tournament Kit including medals, participant bag-tags, a commemorative plaque to list the winners each year, score-sheets, promotional posters, site signage and window stickers.

Junior Skills Competition
Conduct a Future Links Junior Skills Competition at your facility to give your juniors an opportunity to test and showcase their golfing ability. Putting, chipping, iron and full-swing competitions are staged to determine the Skills Champion at your facility. Participating facilities will receive a FREE Junior Skills Competition Kit consisting of operations guidebook, medals for the winners, scorecards, scoring sheets and promotional posters.

Kids Club Connection Program
Join the Future Links network of Kids Club Connection (KCC) Depots that are working to make golf more accessible by providing kids with a source of free, donated equipment. KCC depots act as local distribution centers to resize, re-grip and redistribute donated clubs to kids without golf equipment. Each depot receives grips, tape, club-fitting chart, posters, window stickers and other promotional materials to encourage donations from your community. Occasionally Future Links receives donations from national equipment manufacturers, which is in turn redistributed through the KCC network.

Junior Golf League
Creating a CN Future Links Golf League is a great extension of your Future Links clinic program to keep your juniors hooked on golf all season. A Junior Golf League will allow the juniors to become familiar with playing the game and teach pace of play, sportsmanship, etiquette and the Rules of Golf through friendly competition. Future Links will provide a FREE league tournament kit that includes medals for year end winners, participant bag tags, promotional posters, site signage and window stickers. The easy to use manual is available online and provides the guidance and tools you’ll need to get started.

Mobile Clinic Program
Depending on which province you are located in, you may be able to contact your provincial amateur golf association to schedule a visit from our CN Future Links van. The fully equipped vans are staffed by a Canadian PGA professional and come ready to deliver Level One instruction clinics for your kids. Mobile Clinics can be conducted virtually anywhere including parks, schools, community centers, and golf facilities.

To get started call: 1-800-263-0009, ext 346

For more information please contact:

Erica Bury
Communications Coodinator
Canadian PGA
erica@cpga.com
o: 800.782.5764
c: 416.797.9814

About the CPGA:

Established in 1911, the Canadian Professional Golfers’ Association is a non-profit association comprised of approximately 3,500 golf professionals across the country with a mandate to promote and advance the game of golf, serving the needs of both its membership and the golf public through professional and junior golf development programs and high-calibre competitive events. The National Office is located in Acton, Ontario with nine Zone Offices across the country. For more information, visit: www.cpga.com