WAYNE, Pa. – Operation 36 and Youth on Course are teaming up to make learning the game of golf more accessible and more fun. The partnership will provide the Operation 36 learning platform and curriculum to Youth on Course DRIVE Club Members at no charge, and launch them on the path to an active Operation 36 program location.
According to data from the National Golf Foundation, nearly 70 percent of beginners who try the sport quit. Operation 36 has developed an innovative and successful approach to keep new entrants enthusiastic and engaged.
The company seeks to make learning golf simple and social, turning 160,000 beginners into avid golfers since its founding.
“We’re encouraged to support the mission of Youth on Course by making our learning platform an integral part of their operations,” says Matt Reagan, co-founder, Operation 36. “As Youth on Course continues to promote access and expand affordability, this partnership will clearly help more young people learn, improve and discover the lifetime rewards of playing golf.”
Operation 36 delivers a unique learning approach that has proven exceptionally effective in developing core skills, particularly among young beginners. Participants start close to the hole (25 yards) and move back as they progress. When they score 36 for 9 holes, they “level up” and the course setup becomes progressively longer. Today, over 2,500 coaches at golf facilities around North America and in 21 countries are using Operation 36 to teach new golfers.
“The Operation 36 platform and our DRIVE Club is the perfect marriage to help introduce the game to new golfers,” says Adam Heieck, chief executive officer, Youth on Course. “Finding new pathways to make the game not only more accessible but more approachable for kids is essential to our mission to make golf an affordable, inclusive and transformative pastime for future generations.”
The Youth on Course DRIVE Club is a member program aimed at identifying, fostering and supporting diverse Youth on Course members. The acronym DRIVE encapsulates the program’s fundamental principles: diversity, respect, inclusion, voice, and equity.
By actively participating in the DRIVE Club, Youth on Course members gain access to fully subsidized rounds of golf and community service hours.
Youth on Course is dedicated to providing kids with access to life-changing opportunities through golf. The organization, founded in 2006, offers members access to thousands of courses in the U.S., Canada and Australia. The cost to play for members, long recognized as a barrier to growing the game, is $5 or less. Youth on Course also helps youngsters forge lifelong connections and opportunities to succeed through college scholarships, mentorships, internships, and leadership development.
To learn more about how Operation 36 is paving a new pathway to learning, and how Youth on Course is enhancing access to the sport, visit operation36.golf and youthoncourse.org.