Jack Nicklaus Learning
Leagues, powered by SNAG®,
to be introduced in U.S.
Park and Recreation programs
In an effort to bring golf into
the mainstream of youth sports,
golf legend Jack Nicklaus has
embarked on an initiative to grow
the game with the assistance of
SNAG® Golf (Starting New at
Golf) and the National Recreation
and Park Association (NRPA).
The new Jack Nicklaus Learning
Leagues, powered by SNAG, will be
introduced at select local park and
recreation facilities in 2013, and
for the first time golf will be made
available to youngsters as a team
sport. The innovative Jack Nicklaus
Learning Leagues, combined with
SNAG’s well-established, firsttouch development program, will
provide a golf learning experience
for children, ages 5 through 12, in
a safe, affordable and accessible
environment.
relying on other children, so it is
not all on their shoulders. A lot of
kids shy away from golf because of
that. When I picked up the game
at age 10, one of the beauties of
the sport was that I could do it by
myself. I didn’t need someone to
throw a ball to me or catch a ball or
defend me. I could be as good as
the time and effort that I wanted to
put into it. But at the very young
age many children are introduced
to sports, many don’t want so much
placed on their shoulders. The idea
is to bring kids into the game, keep
them into the game, have them
learn, let them have fun, have
fun with their friends, and then
they can advance to the next level
where they get on a golf course and
develop.”
Nicklaus has been an important
advocate for growing the game
and he envisions that with SNAG’s
programming and modified
equipment, and the active
participation of local park and
recreation agencies through the
National Recreation and Park
Association, golf at last will have a
competitive footing with such team
sports as soccer, basketball and
football.
The first time golf will
be made available to
youngsters as a team sport
“There are so many sports-team
sports-played in the park system
today,” Nicklaus said. “Today, kids
start playing athletics when they
are as young as 4 or 5 years old,
and by the time they are just 7,
8 or 9 years old, many of them
have picked the two or three sports
that they might want to play in
the different seasons. If golf is not
part of the sports introduced and
available to them at their local park
and recreation facilities, they will
play other sports and not golf. So
we need to get golf in their local
parks and have them play our
sport, and I think the team concept
is the way to do it.
“Children seem to embrace the
team concept of looking to and
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The Jack Nicklaus Learning Leagues
will be separated by age groups:
5- and 6-year-olds; 7-8; 9-10;
and 11-12. Each league will have
a set number of children per team
and incorporate a specialized, ageappropriate format and learning
curriculum.
Terry Anton, founder and CEO of
SNAG Golf, is enthusiastic about the
leadership position of Jack Nicklaus
in the establishment of the Jack
Nicklaus Le \