TO: Our Brooklyn Golf Alliance Family
FROM: Lou Riccio, Mike Weiss, and Herb Rubenstein
It certainly has been a difficult and unusual year for all of us. The pandemic and its impact on our health, our families, our mobility, economics, business activity, education and so many other aspects of our lives, has been significant. Obviously, due to the pandemic, we have had to rethink and retool our Golf Alliance programs but, even in the face of adversity, we have been moving ahead.
In the Spring, our Director of Instruction, Herb Rubenstein, wrote and organized a series of one hour “Introduction to Golf” lessons that were presented via Zoom, in eight online sessions, over the period of three weeks. We received PGA approval to offer this virtual instruction under the banner of the PGA Junior League. It is the first completely online program to run in this way.
With the assistance of our Board member, Paul Curiale, Executive Director of the Bergen Beach Youth Organization, and his staff, we recruited approximately 50 middle school youngsters who participated in this unique program as part of their remote after-school activity. At no cost, the students were each provided with a plastic golf club, foam balls, instructional guides, and a PGA tee shirt. This effort could be continued, either all remote or as a hybrid with on course experience as well.
We congratulate Herb, who at the age of 67, passed all of the written and on-course tests and, in October, was certified as a Class A PGA member.
Due to the pandemic shut down, we were not able to present our outdoor summer PGA Junior League program at the Marine Park Golf Course but, hopefully, with sufficient protection offered by the new vaccines and careful management of health protocols, we will be able to restart this program for the Summer 0f 2021.
We have continued to make progress on our fundraising and resource development efforts. Thanks to the advocacy of our local City Councilmember, Alan Maisel, even in the face of major City funding cuts, we secured a $5,000 grant for this fiscal year, which will be utilized for equipment and minor instructional fees.
We acquired a new “Opti-Shot 2 Golf Simulator” which will allow us to enrich our teaching and practice program with high quality video swing tracking equipment. In addition to utilizing Opti-Shot for swing analysis, the system also provides the ability to set up competition matches for up to four individuals, at 15 of the top golf courses in the U.S.
We are in the process of updating our outreach and fundraising materials as well as the content of our website.
We are also planning an essay contest whose aim is to identify motivated young golfers who could benefit by receiving professional instruction and equipment.
We continue to pursue the possibility of hosting an LPGA/SYMETRA Tour event in Brooklyn. It would bring 144 women golf pros to our venue, the Marine Park Golf Course, for a week of pro-am and tournament play, with the proceeds going to our own BGA youth development activity.
"Not only will this be the first professional golf event in NYC since 1939, but it will also be one more feather in Brooklyn's professional sports hat (along with the Nets and the Cyclones), and it will enhance the image of NYC as a place where golfers can enjoy the sport while living in America's premier large city. But more importantly it will support women's sports and provide for our inner-city kids activities."
In the midst of the COVID crisis, although a number of corporate entities that we have contacted have expressed strong interest, it has not been possible to secure firm commitments for the $300,000+ in sponsorships that is required to secure a spot in the tour schedule for this coming summer. A number of these companies have asked us to get back to them in the next year. The LPGA has expressed a continuing interest, should we be successful for the Summer, 2022. If you have any ideas, or contacts, that might be helpful, please feel free to share them. With us by contact us through our website.
Thus, as the new year unfolds, we will continue to work hard to achieve our goals. Hopefully, we will see you on the links. Thanks for your support and…