Tykes
in the
Tee Box
The PGA Jr. League at
Monarch Beach Golf Links
introduces children to the
world of golf and teaches
them sportsmanship in a fun
learning environment.
BY JUDD SPICER
S
wing by swing, the smallest players are mak-
ing a big impact on the future of the game at
Monarch Beach Golf Links. Introduced just
last year, the resort’s PGA Jr. League team
was quick to echo the impressive rise of junior golf pro-
grams across the fairways of Southern California. This
increased interest is a result of the game’s governing
bodies collectively taking a more proactive approach
in ensuring new and engaging opportunities to entice
golf ’s next generation of players.
Debuted modestly by The PGA of America in 2011
with fewer than 200 teams across the country, the
PGA Jr. League has since burgeoned into a national
force of more than 42,000 participants. Backed by
professional touring ambassadors such as Rory McIlroy,
22 MONARCHBEACHRESORT.COM
Lexi Thompson, Michelle Wie and SoCal’s own Rickie
Fowler, the league has helped allay national concerns
about the game’s participation numbers.
“The PGA Jr. League has really become more prom-
inent in the recent years and become one of the biggest
initiatives to help grow the game,” says Eric Lohman,
PGA general manager at Monarch Beach Golf Links.
As a board member of the Southern California
PGA, and named the organization’s 2017 Golf
Professional of the Year, Lohman has seen fi rsthand the
rapid interest in the resort’s PGA Jr. League team.
“With the personnel to manage the team, along
with the growing interest from participants, we were
able to start our own team,” he explains. “… It really
has become such a positive thing for the club. For us to