2023 Family Impact :
World Championships
2023 Family Impact :
The Pano Family
The Pano family first burst into the public consciousness in 2013 as stars of the Netflix documentary , The Short Game , which chronicled their quest for a World Championship title for then 7-year-old Alexa . Since that public debut , Alexa has learned to live in the public eye while developing her talent in the game , winning five U . S . Kids Golf World Championships , a number of amateur titles , and today earning a spot and winning a championship on the LPGA Tour .
As a family of two , Rick Pano understood the special challenges he would face being a caddie , a confidante , and a father to a young girl who had big dreams and tireless ambition .
“ I was never worried about a scoreboard ,” Rick notes . “ My concern was always what type of lady my daughter would become .”
“ As a parent , we know how hard it is to get a kid off their phone ,” Rick added . “ But in the U . S . Kids Golf events , it was just us . No distractions , no screens . We were a team . We greatly appreciated the culture and professionalism of the events we played . But most of all , this was the right platform for us to learn from each other , about each other , and of course , improving Alexa ’ s game while we did .”
Alexa ’ s Netflix fame has inspired countless new golfers around the globe . And today , no matter where she goes as an LPGA Tour player , she is greeted by dozens of families who want to share their stories of how she played a part in their golf journey .
“ I ’ m always honored when people approach me about The Short Game and my time playing U . S . Kids Golf events . That was definitely a special , enjoyable time in my life and helped me reach my dreams .”
For the Panos , the Foundation ’ s platform helped establish the dynamic that ’ s allowed them to reach the pinnacle of golf success . More importantly , it helped them grow closer as a family .
World Championships
| More than 500 players compete in the World Teen Championships ( 13-18 ). | Over 1,500 players compete in the World Championships ( ages 5-12 ).
| More than 400 volunteers from around the Southeast join us in Pinehurst to support the Championships .