More than 100 PGA of America Golf Professional, LPGA Professional PGA Jr. League Coaches received awards based upon program size and other Player Engagement criteria

Editors:
For photos of the award winners attending the PGA Show, click here.
For headshots of all the award winners, click here.

FRISCO, Texas and ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 25, 2024) – Attending PGA Jr. League #GameChanger Award winners took the stage Wednesday afternoon at the 2024 PGA Show in a ceremony emceed by NBC’s Lauren Thompson to celebrate their 2023 accomplishments in the player engagement space.

The #GameChanger Awards were created by the PGA of America’s Player Engagement team in 2019 to celebrate the efforts of PGA Jr. League Coaches who create more opportunities for more kids to learn and play the game. The awards honor the 25 largest PGA Jr. League programs in the country, as well as the largest programs in each of the 41 PGA of America Sections.

"The #GameChanger Awards have become an annual celebration of PGA of America Golf Professionals and PGA Jr. League Coaches that we look forward to each year," said Steve Tanner, Senior Director of Player Engagement for the PGA of America. “We can’t understate the extraordinary achievements of these Coaches, and we’re both appreciative and proud of their commitment to growing the game.”

In 2022, a Player Engagement Award was added to celebrate Coaches who meet the following criteria: lead 24 or more active PGA Jr. League players; host multiple age divisions or seasons of PGA Jr. League; host a PGA Family Golf event; and are ADM (American Development Model) certified through the PGA Coach platform.

The full list of 2023 #GameChanger Award recipients organized by category (25 largest programs in the country, largest program in each PGA of America Section and Player Engagement Award) can be found here.

‍

About the PGA of America

The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, composed of more than 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals who love the game, are expert coaches, operators and business leaders, and work daily to drive interest, inclusion and participation in the sport. The PGA of America owns and operates numerous championships and events, including major championships for men, women, seniors and the Ryder Cup, one of the world’s foremost sporting events. For more information, visit PGA.com and follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About PGA Jr. League

PGA Jr. League brings families and friends together around fun, team golf experiences for kids ages 17 and under, with expert coaching from PGA Professionals. Visit PGAJrLeague.com for more information, and follow @PGAJrLeague on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Media Contacts

Hayley Wilson, Alday PR, hayley@aldaypr.com

Jesse Dodson, PGA of America, jdodson@pgahq.com