PGA Jr. League Season-End Match

Junior golfers gathered at the San Vicente Golf Course on Wednesday, June 26, for the final match of the 2024 PGA Junior League. Sporting their uniforms—an orange or blue polo with the player’s name and chosen number on the back—and split into four groups, the golfers competed against each other in a scramble format. Parents cheered their kids on, and a few even participated in a friendly driving contest against their kids. After the match, players and families enjoyed a pizza party on the putting green.

“This is the third year we have done it,” said Matt Brumbaugh, PGA and head golf professional. The season runs from mid-May to the end of June. “Fun and participation is number one.” He says there is a place for everybody, regardless of their skill level. It’s always about keeping it fun and growing the game.

Another mission is to increase the number of junior and female golfers. This year, in the jr. league, the ratio of male to female golfers was almost 50/50. In addition, Matt said the league has doubled in size since the beginning. The program started with two small teams and has now grown into four teams, with older kids, too. Every year, there are more kids, and they are playing better. They are growing, and their skill set is increasing.

Matt has watched the whole movement flourish, and families are coming to spectate at the golf course. The support of parents has been instrumental in making this league a success. It’s a group effort, and it's heartening to see how interactive the parents and kids have been.

According to Laurence Meyerowitz, parent of players Natan, age 8, and Aidan, age 9, this is an amazing program. It teaches kids golf etiquette and comradery, and the instruction from the professional golfers has been excellent. Instructing the kids takes a lot of time and effort, and he has seen it grow over the last few years.

The season started May 15 and continued through June 26. There were six matches, with one practice and one match per week. Regular Jr. Golf Clinics are put on hold during the Jr. PGA League. Now that the season is over, clinics will start again on July 10. Clinics are held at the driving range every Wednesday at 4 pm and every Saturday at 10 am to help kids work on their technique. If your child is interested in joining the golf clinics, email Matt at Matt.brumbaugh@sdcea.net or call 760-789-3788 x3020 for more information.

Also to come will be the parent and sibling golf tournament. Matt encourages members to check their emails for more information.