Youth golfers hit balls in a bay at a Topgolf facility.

Topgolf

Youth on Course is going off-course for its next play-time opportunity for juniors, partnering with Topgolf to provide access to hitting bays for just $5 this summer.

A non-profit that seeks to provide youngsters with access to opportunities through golf, Youth on Course has subsidized millions of $5 on-course rounds over the past two decades.

The partnership with Topgolf provides yet another outlet for kids to connect with the game, with Youth on Course members (and Alumni Network members) getting access to Topgolf bays from 9 a.m. to noon from Monday through Thursday. The program runs from July 1 until Sept. 3, a time when kids are out of school for the summer and may have the most opportunity to play.

"Topgolf is exactly the kind of partner that moves the needle for our members," said Youth on Golf CEO Adam Heieck. "This isn't just about affordable access. It's about showing young golfers that the game is for them. Walking into a Topgolf venue is a great golf and entertainment experience, and now our members and alumni get to be part of it."

For Topgolf, the partnership reflects a commitment to help grow the game more broadly.

Participation among juniors is up 58% since 2019, according to the National Golf Foundation, climbing to near-record levels. And on-course participation overall is up 20% over that same period.

New Topgolf CEO David McKillips said his company’s goal is to help create another 10 million new golfers by 2030, making the partnership with Youth on Course a natural extension of that mission.

"Youth is one of the fastest-growing segments in golf, and Topgolf has both the platform and the responsibility to help grow the game," said McKillips. “When young people experience the joy of golf early, they become golfers for life. That's good for them, good for the industry, and good for the game we all love.”

Anchoring the new program to the summer months gives kids a fun and welcoming place to play when they have the most free time. The goal is to eventually expand access for Youth on Course members year-round.

This new opportunity – and new avenue to play golf -- comes as on-course rounds have climbed to record levels in four of the past five years. While Youth on Course has partnered with thousands of courses in all 50 U.S. states and in Canada, the nationwide surges in play have created a more competitive environment for tee times at public courses. Heieck has acknowledged the lack of unused tee times and the fact that many operators are understandably trying to maximize revenue.

Off-course options for engagement, in turn, continue to become increasingly popular. Off-course participation has soared by 63% since 2019, according to the NGF, and has now exceeded that of on-course for the past four years.

Youth on Course previously teamed with Golf Galaxy and DICK’S to provide some indoor simulator play time to juniors. And now Youth on Course is again venturing off course in a meaningful way.