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Minnesota Golf Association 1901–2026

2026 MGA Foundation Impact Report

Making golf accessible to all Minnesotans.

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A letter from our Executive Director

Play well. Do good.

Golf has a unique ability to bring people together, create opportunity, and shape lives. But the impact of this game extends far beyond the course. It is found in the confidence a young person gains, the relationships built through a shared experience, and the communities strengthened when people have the opportunity to belong.

That is what makes the work of the MGA Foundation so important.

In 2026, we continued to build on our commitment to making golf more accessible for all Minnesotans. Through Youth on Course, we are helping young people experience the game at an affordable price. Through our caddie development and scholarship initiatives, we are creating pathways for personal growth, education, and opportunity. Through adaptive golf and community-based programming, we are working to ensure that more people can experience everything this game has to offer.

These efforts are possible because of you. Your generosity, partnership, and belief in our mission allow us to do more than introduce people to golf. They allow us to create meaningful experiences and lasting opportunities that extend well beyond the course.

As we look ahead, we have an ambitious vision for the future. We want Minnesota to be a national leader in expanding access to golf, developing the next generation of golfers and leaders, and strengthening the communities that make our game special. Achieving that vision will require continued investment, collaboration, and a shared belief in what golf can accomplish.

Thank you for being part of this work and for helping us build a future where golf is more accessible, more inclusive, and stronger for generations to come.

Jon Mays
Executive Director
Minnesota Golf Association & MGA Foundation

Who we are

The mission of the MGA Foundation is to make golf more accessible for all Minnesotans, foster personal growth and community development, and ensure sustainability for future generations.

Learn more at mngolf.org/foundation

Our values

  1. 01Create accessBreak down financial, physical, and social barriers to ensure golf is available to everyone.
  2. 02Build characterDevelop life skills, values, and confidence through golf experiences.
  3. 03Foster communityBring diverse individuals together through a shared love of the game.
  4. 04Inspire growthUse golf as a catalyst for personal development and opportunity.
  5. 05Ensure sustainabilityPreserve golf’s positive impact for future generations.

2026 at a glance

A record year across every program.

ProgramMeasure20262025
Youth on CourseMembers29,55825,442
Scholarship members665275
Rounds played144,829134,759
Course subsidies$807,278$761,351
Adaptive GolfClinics106
Clinic participants10971
Adaptive Open players5434
ScholarshipsRecipients74
Community FundGranted$24,400New
125th Anniversary Club DriveSets donated576New
Caddie DevelopmentYouth loops289294
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2026 Minnesota Adaptive OpenHosted by Braemar Golf Course

Youth on Course

Rounds for just $5.

Minnesota ranks second in the country for Youth on Course participation. Every $5 round is a chance for a young golfer to build confidence, make new friends and discover a game they can play for life.

Showing 2026

29,558

Members

  • 20181,588
  • 202211,100
  • 202629,558

151

Course partners

  • 201835
  • 202296
  • 2026151

144,829

Rounds played

  • 20184,916
  • 202255,930
  • 2026144,829

$807,278

Subsidies paid to course partners

  • 2018$36,285
  • 2022$350,222
  • 2026$807,278

2026 numbers are as of Oct. 1.

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Participant spotlight

“I have already used Youth on Course multiple times… I’m so excited to go golfing with my friends this summer. Thanks.”

Youth on Course member

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Parent spotlight

“Thank you so much for making Adaptive Golf available to so many deserving athletes in MN. Our son is 13 and because of… golf events the past couple of years, he has really ‘stuck’ with the sport.”

Emily

Parent of an adaptive golfer

Adaptive Golf

Opening the game to every golfer.

The MGA’s adaptive golf program welcomes golfers with physical, sensory and cognitive disabilities through instructional clinics with partners, adaptive equipment and competitive play.

2026 highlights

10

Adaptive clinics

Hosted in partnership with the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute.

109

Adaptive clinic golfers served

This year included 39 new participants.

54

Adaptive Championship

The field grew nearly 60% from 2025, with 20 Minnesotans competing across seven impairment categories.

2nd Adaptive Open Championship

The second Minnesota Adaptive Open was held in September once again at Braemar GC in Edina. The championship has quickly become one of the most prominent adaptive golf events in the nation.

MGA Foundation scholarships

Taking the next step in their education.

MGA Foundation scholarships help Minnesota students take the next step in their education, from four-year degrees to vocational and technical programs. Recipients are selected based on financial need, academic and community achievement, and a connection to golf.

Since 1998

98Recipients
$1MAwarded

Women’s Scholarship

Since 1998, this $12,000, four-year scholarship has supported young women in their collegiate pursuits.

Interlachen CC Scholar

Hanna Norberg

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University of Nebraska

Jordan, MN

The Minikahda Club Scholar

Evelyn Russell

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University of Puget Sound

Minneapolis, MN

MWGA Legacy Scholar

Brynn Andrix

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Gustavus Adolphus College

Owatonna, MN

Brackett’s Crossing CC Scholar

Gabrielle Petersen

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UW–Stevens Point

Farmington, MN

Hazeltine National GC Scholar

Mackenzie Malek

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University of Minnesota

St. Paul, MN

Jim Mendesh Memorial Scholarship

Designed for students pursuing vocational or technical careers, this $5,000, two-year scholarship supports those earning certificates or associate degrees at accredited vocational or technical schools.

LaRissa Pitkanen

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Lake Superior College

Duluth, MN

Elleana Wahl

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MN State Community and Technical College

Dilworth, MN

Apply for a scholarship
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Spectators at the 2026 MGA Amateur ChampionshipHosted by StoneRidge Golf Club

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Grantee spotlight

“Support from the MGA Foundation helped First Timers Golf subsidize lesson fees for more than 20 new golfers and expand our outreach, giving more people the opportunity to learn the game and feel welcome in the golf community.”

Collins Oppong, Founder

First Timers Golf Club

Community Fund · New in 2026

Grassroots grants that grow the game.

Launched in the MGA’s 125th anniversary year, the Community Fund is a flexible grant program backing local projects that use golf to expand access, foster personal growth and build a sustainable future for the game across Minnesota.

$24,400Granted in 2026
4Grants awarded

2026 grant recipients

  • Bronze Foundation — aims to develop an inclusive golf and learning campus at Hiawatha GC in Minneapolis
  • Fairway Foundation — builds life skills and future leaders among Twin Cities youth through golf
  • First Timers Golf — introduces immigrant communities to golf
  • Solomon Hughes Sr. Golf Academy — youth fellowship and outreach encouraging academic and athletic achievement through golf

How to apply

Apply through a short online form. Grants are designed to move quickly, whether you are launching a new initiative, expanding an existing effort or meeting an emerging community need.

Apply for a grant

125th Anniversary Club Drive

Clubs for every golfer who wants to play.

In celebration of the MGA’s 125th Anniversary, together with 2nd Swing, we set out to invest $125,000 – in recognition of 125 years of the MGA serving the game in Minnesota – in sets of golf clubs for junior and adaptive golfers in need. Sets are distributed through partners like Youth on Course facilities, First Tee Minnesota and Minneapolis Parks, and directly to adaptive golfers and MGA caddies.

576Sets of clubs donated to junior and adaptive golfers
$118,000Invested toward our $125,000 goal
94% of goal

Who received clubs

  • Youth on Course partner facilities367 sets
  • First Tee Minnesota89 sets
  • Deserving youth across Minnesota81 sets
  • Adaptive golfers13 sets
  • Minneapolis Parks10 sets
  • Solomon Hughes Sr. Golf Academy10 sets
  • MGA caddies6 sets
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Recipient spotlight

“Thank you so much for the chance to get new golf clubs. They really helped me improve my game, and it has made golf more enjoyable for me!”

Ayva

125th Anniversary Club Drive recipient

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Caddie corner

“Caddying is not about the score of your golfer but the conversations you had along the way.”

Luc Dreamer

Keller Golf Course caddie

Caddie Development

Looping today. Leading tomorrow.

The MGA Foundation’s Caddie Development program supports youth caddies at public-access Twin Cities courses through subsidized caddie fees. Along the way, caddies build a strong work ethic, learn from the adults they caddie for, and gain confidence that carries far beyond the course.

2026 loops subsidized

Up more than 50% since 2024

289

In their words

“Caddying has been great because it has allowed me to meet and interact with interesting people, and practice communicating with adults. For me it’s enjoyable to be outside on a beautiful golf course for the summer.”

Caleb Maki · Keller Golf Course caddie

“Caddying has made me a better communicator, not only with adults but with peers as well; and it has given me opportunities I never knew existed.”

Theodore Roark · Hiawatha Golf Club caddie

How the subsidy works

Golfers book a youth caddie through the participating course, and the MGA Foundation pays the caddie fee. Players add an appropriate gratuity at the end of the round, which makes taking a caddie easy for golfers and keeps young caddies in steady demand.

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Program ParticipantSolomon Hughes Sr. Golf Academy

Donor spotlight

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Annie Cronin

MGA Foundation Trustee
1901 Society Member

Minneapolis, MN

I support the MGA Foundation because I believe in investing in people and their potential. The Women’s Scholarship is especially meaningful to me because it helps young women pursue their education and build a foundation for future success.

I’ve had the opportunity to connect personally with many past scholarship recipients, and I’ve been blown away by the quality of these young women, their ambition, and what receiving the scholarship has meant to them. Hearing their stories reinforces why this program matters and the difference it can make in their lives.

I also love that the scholarship is connected to golf, a game that builds confidence, perseverance, integrity, and relationships. These are qualities that help young people grow and succeed.

While the Women’s Scholarship is particularly close to my heart, I’m proud of the MGA Foundation’s broader work to make golf more accessible. I encourage others to consider supporting the Foundation and helping create more opportunities for the next generation.

Join Annie in making golf accessible to all Minnesotans at mngolf.org/donate.

In her words

I’ve been blown away by the quality of these young women, their ambition, and what receiving the scholarship has meant to them.

Annie Cronin

MGA Foundation Women’s Scholarships since 1998

91Recipients

$982.5KAwarded

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Adaptive Golf Clinic Participant and recipient of donated clubs through the MGA Foundation 125th Anniversary Club Drive

MGA Foundation Annual Fund

The engine behind everything we do.

The Annual Fund fuels programs that expand access, build confidence and create opportunity through golf. Here is what each level of giving makes possible.

$125–$249

Your impact

  • One set of clubs to a junior or adaptive golfer in need
Donate

$250–$499

Your impact

  • Subsidize up to ten loops for a member of our Caddie Development program
Donate

$500–$999

Your impact

  • Support a full summer of golf for a Youth on Course member
Donate

$1,000+

Your impact

  • Fund an adaptive golf clinic
  • A dozen sets of clubs housed at a course and loaned free of charge to Youth on Course members
  • One or more years of scholarship for a Women’s or Mendesh Scholarship recipient
Donate
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With gratitude

Thank you to our supporters.

To every donor, volunteer, partner and member club: your generosity opened the door to golf for thousands of Minnesotans this year.

Board of Trustees

  • Tom Smith, President
  • Annie Cronin
  • Ede Rice
  • Tom Ryan
  • Jim Trenda, Treasurer
  • John Hallberg
  • Jerry Rose
  • Rick Soskin
  • Russell Betts
  • Paul Meierant
  • Jean Rottman

Partners in purpose

  • 2nd Swing
  • 3M Open
  • Barrier Free Golf
  • Brackett’s Crossing CC
  • Braemar GC / City of Edina
  • Columbia GC
  • Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute
  • Duininck Golf
  • First Tee Minnesota
  • First Timers Golf
  • The Gravel Pit
  • Hazeltine National GC
  • Hiawatha GC
  • Holes Fore Hope
  • InSports Foundation
  • Interlachen CC
  • Keller GC
  • The Lafayette Club
  • Launchpad Golf The Meadows
  • Life Time Foundation
  • The Loop / City of Chaska
  • Madden’s Resort
  • The Minikahda Club
  • Northern Greens Golf Collective
  • PGA REACH Minnesota
  • Rochester Area Ladies Clubs
  • Solomon Hughes Sr. Golf Academy
  • The Toro Company
  • Traditions Bank
  • UNRL Foundation
  • VertaCat
  • Western Golf Assn. / Evans Scholars Fdn.
  • Windsong Farm GC
  • Woodhill CC
  • Youth on Course