A Game For Life: Youth on Course to a Career in Golf

When Steven Kragseth was young, he’d often trail his brothers around his family’s nearby golf courses. He’d look for any chance to best them, which gave him a taste of golf’s competitive side.

He was hooked. But if he wanted to go any further, he needed more time on the course. Even with standard greens fees, that can get expensive quickly.

Youth on Course made it an easy yes to more golf for Steven, on more courses, more often.

"I think it was just really great for me to be able to get more rounds in on golf courses that were maybe not accessible to me otherwise," he said. 

Years after he completed his YOC stint, Steven has kept his comfort on the course, his composure under pressure, and his knowledge of the small rules that come with the game. 

He's also noticed this in adults who picked up golf later in life and wish they'd started sooner. Starting young means more time to build the fundamentals that stick. 
"It's super beneficial for your long-term game," he said.

Learning the Game, and About Life

Steven noticed the gaps in his game early while playing with his brothers. He was younger, had more to learn, and had to shake off a bad hole fast enough to stay in the game.

"I think the game of golf is really great to help you learn acceptance," he said.
Bad shots happen. Steven learned to move past them and accept that golf (and life) are never perfect. He learned that lesson earlier than most.

"You're not going to have a perfect life," he said. “You're going to have shots and holes that just aren't going to go well, even if you play really well overall."

A Look Behind the Scenes

After college, Steven pursued the USGA's P.J. Boatwright internship with the Minnesota Golf Association. Having already built relationships through Youth on Course and his time as an Evans Scholar at the University of Minnesota, he felt ready for the opportunity.

Through the internship, he stepped behind the curtain of an industry he'd only seen from the outside as a caddie.

"It was the first time I was able to see what was going on, how a golf course runs, how a championship tournament runs," he said. "You feel like you're part of this really huge USGA network of golf professionals.”

Staying in the Community

Steven now works as an assistant golf professional at Island View Golf Club, with his ties to the MGA still strong. He returned to the 2026 100 Hole Hike and reconnected with familiar faces from his internship days.

He keeps coming back because of the people.

"I kind of just blended right back in, honestly," he said. "The amount of gratitude we get after running a tournament or an event, whether that's an MGA participant or an Island View member, it's very rewarding.”

He loves giving golfers an elevated experience, complete with tents, scorecards, and rules officials. He also doesn't take these opportunities for granted.

"At the end of the day, it's the people who participate in the golf that I enjoy."

From junior golfer to industry pro, Steven used his Youth on Course access to fall in love with the game, and the MGA gave him a place to stay in it.