2023 Met PGA Foundation Impact Report

2023 IMPACT REPORT

OUR MISSION

Promote the goodwill and growth of the game of golf by positively impacting the lives of junior golfers, veterans, and those who are underserved by the game. We accomplish this by focusing our efforts under three founding pillars:

Youth Golf, Military, and Inclusion.

EXPANDING OUR REACH

3,000+

50+

175+

100+

40 $8,000

Hours donated by PGA Professionals annually

College Scholarships provided since 2015 Foundation Interns hired since 2000

Junior Tour Alumni now PGA Professionals

Junior Tour members received full financial aid to play on Junior Tour in PGA Professional Grants awarded

Donated to local children’s hospitals and various charities $100,000+

4 PGA WORKS Fellows since 2019

FOUNDATION HIGHLIGHTS

2,132

120

86

120

2

Boys and Girls participated PGA Junior League Programs PGA Professional Captains Scholarship Granted All Stars: Bethpage 13U Bethpage 17U (Won Regionals and qualified for National Finals)

1 Reigning Met Section Champion - PJ Rotella GC

1,273 Junior Tour Members

84 Tournaments

8 Championships

3 Tours (9 Hole Tour, Players Tour, and Future Series Tour)

40 Financial Aid Scholarships provided Nationally ranked events/AJGA recognized

15

967

6

1

1

Participants locally

Local Drive, Chip, & Putt qualifiers

Sub-Regional Drive, Chip, & Putt qualifier

Regional Drive, Chip, & Putt qualifier

PGA HOPE

THE PROGRAM

Met PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) is a six week adaptive golf program offered to Veterans free of charge by PGA Professionals. The program is designed to introduce Veterans to the game of golf in an effort to enhance their overall quality of life.

Each session focuses on the various golf skills you will use while playing. In addition to learning the basics, you are also guided onto the golf course to put your skills into action in a casual, friendly setting. Veterans who demonstrate a commitment to golf as a form of therapy by attending at least four weeks of the program are eligible for a set of golf clubs to aid their recovery.

MILITARY GOLF LEAGUE

PGA HOPE Military League is mirrored after PGA Jr League and provides our veterans with the opportunity to continue playing golf with fellow veterans and staying engaged with our PGA Professionals after they graduate from the program. This season featured 280 veterans participating in league at various golf courses throughout Westchester and Long Island on 19 different teams lead PGA Professionals. Each veteran is given a league shirt and all costs for the league are funded by the Met PGA Foundation. The season runs from June-September with two matches per week. At the conclusion of the season there is a championship event featuring the top Long Island and Westchester teams.

2023 SNAPSHOT

160 160 280

19 1,200

Veterans graduated PGA HOPE

Sets of Callaway Clubs presented to Graduates

Military Golf League Partiicipants

PGA HOPE Military Golf League Teams

Veterans served since 2015

EVENTS FUNDRAISING

SUPPORTING

On August 7th, the Met PGA held its 2nd Annual Met PGA Birdie Bash where Metropolitan Section PGA Professionals played 72 holes of golf in one day at Silvermine GC with the goal of making as many birdies as possible. Through each professional’s network, solicited donors made a financial pledge per birdie to help raise funds to benefit the Metropolitan Section PGA Foundation, and Play Yellow for Children’s Hospitals. This year’s Children Hospital beneficiaries were Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Westchester, and Cohen Children’s Medical Center on Long Island.

Twenty-one teams came out to show their support on a day encompassed by fun, generosity, and giving back. Thanks to the incredible effort of our professionals, over 900 birdies were tallied and over $200,000 were raised. Led by Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, the PGA TOUR and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, “Play Yellow for Children’s Hospitals” strives to bring the entire golf world together to help the 10 million kids treated at local children’s hospitals each year. To build on this vision, Barbara and Jack are asking the entire golf world to step forward and help save lives by raising funds to help children’s hospitals across North America.

EVENTS FUNDRAISING

“The Augie” Met PGA Championship Pro-Am teed off this year at the future home of the 2023 Met PGA Championship, Nassau Country Club.

Formerly known as The Wall Street Charity Fund Pro-Am, this wonderful event benefits the Met PGA Foundation who is committed to promoting the goodwill and growth of the game by positively impacting the lives of junior golfers, veterans, and those who are underserved by the game.

Met PGA Foundation Board Member, Augie Hoerrner, has continued to expand and grow the event for several years, continuing his commitment and mission to “Giving Back Through

Golf”.

Our attendees enjoyed a round of golf on Nassau Country Club’s newly renovated 18hole course, giveaways including a pair of shoes from Adidas, an Evolve Golf supplies box, and much more. The day culminated with a silent auction featuring priceless art, memorabilia, rounds of golf and some of the top courses in the world, golf getaways, and so much more.

To all of those who came out to support this year, we thank you for your generosity in supporting the Met PGA Foundation and our mission.

EVENTS FUNDRAISING

New York Mets All Star second baseman and Met PGA Foundation Ambassador, Jeff McNeil, traded his baseball bat for a golf club for a night of giving back at his inaugural Drive 4 Good fundraising event at Topgolf in Holtsville, NY.

The unique event and tournament emceed by Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point General Manager, Brian Crowell, PGA featured McNeil, alongside Mets teammate and first baseman, Pete Alonso, former Met greats, Tim Teufel and Gary Valentine, and comedian Chris Roach, for a wonderful evening of golf and giving back to those underserved. Over 150 individuals filled the bays, joined by our Met PGA HOPE veterans, Met PGA Junior Tour golfers, and Met PGA Professionals who offered teaching tips and support throughout the night. Our guests and donors in attendance also had the opportunity to bid on over 40 exclusive and valuable items on display at the silent auction.

“It was a great night. I’ve been wanting to do something like this for quite some time now. I’m glad to partner with the Met PGA Foundation for what ended up being a great night of fun and raising money for those underserved by the game.” Golf has been a pretty big part of my life so it’s super cool to see what this night has turned in to.” -

Jeff McNeil

GRANTS IN ACTION

Vincenzo Rallo, PGA, is Saving Lives as an NYPD Officer & Changing Lives Through Golf

It was Valentine’s Day in Brooklyn and Vincenzo Rallo knew what he needed to do. Rallo, a New York Police Department (NYPD) Officer, and his partner Officer Mark Kalwa normally do the afternoon to midnight shift but this time they were on a day tour in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn. And they heard screams and calls for help coming from Langston Hughes Houses complex.Then they saw smoke coming from the building. It was time to bolt into action. “There was no time to wait for FD (NYFD),” remembers Rallo, who’s also a PGA of America Golf Professional. “In the moment, it’s like a switch gets flipped. We had to do something.”

Officers Rallo and Kalwa put a call into NYFD, then ran into the burning building, where their body-worn cameras show how they were first met with a wall of smoke. They had to do a “one in, one out” method, using their good air to go into the smoke-filled areas of the building to pull people out. Officer Rallo took a young mom’s toddler from her arms who looked like she was about to faint. He helped her down the stairs, with her baby in arms. “It was the most gratifying thing,” Rallo told NBC New York. “The kid being safe was just the coolest feeling.”

Officer Kalwa helped a man with crutches go down the stairs. There were more children stuck on the fourth floor, so Officer Rallo and a firefighter went back and were met by a father struggling to breathe and holding two toddlers. The firefighter helped the man, while Rallo took the kids down the four flights and brought him to his squad car to warm them up with blankets.

In all, the rescue operation was all of 10-15 minutes and the two officers were able to get 12 people out of the building burning. No deaths, no major injuries.

“You always talk about the ‘what if’ scenarios, and this was one of them,” says Rallo. “In the end, it’s all about getting people in and out as safely as possible. You do what you have to do because just standing there . . . that’s not an option.”

Officer Rallo isn’t a guy who likes to stand around when it comes to being a PGA of America Member either. After graduating from Penn State University PGA Golf Management program in 2008, he was an assistant and merchandiser at a few clubs before becoming a Neighborhood Coordination Officer for the NYPD in 2013. He keeps his membership active by serving as a rep for True Linkswear, but also through running a program special to him. Last summer, he created PGA Bridges with the help of a Metropolitan PGA Section Foundation grant. It’s a collaborative effort between the Section and NYPD aimed at growing the game for underserved and minority kids to help build police relations within inner city communities. It also introduces the game to a demographic that would never be exposed to golf, giving local youth another sports outlet to pull them away from gangs and keep them on the right path. “These kids, a lot of them have hard lives and they’re used to this concrete jungle where golf doesn’t seem possible,” says Rallo. “This program changes that.”

Almost Golf sent a crate of golf balls and inflatable pins for Officer Rallo to use, while Golf Daddy send strike mats. Rallo then built a mini golf course with the equipment and taped together pool noodles to give the kids, 35-40 in all, their first golf experience. “They see a different perspective of us as officers than they’re used to,” adds Rallo. “And sometimes we don’t even hit a shot. We’ll listen to them, let them vent, tell us how school went. Golf is just a bonus. Ultimately, we’re there to help.”

And no matter where Officer Rallo is in New York City, helping people is, well, the right thing to do.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS

Met PGA Junior Tour Alumni share how growing up on the Junior Tour helped get them to where they are today!

Justin Koff, PGA Head Golf Professional Bethpage State Park

As a Class “A” PGA Professional, my passion for golf began as a junior golfer competing on the Met PGA Junior Tour with dreams of one day playing golf professionally. Growing up as a Long Island public golfer in the Met Section, I had no idea what my future in golf would look like, but I loved the competition. The junior events provided me with a foundation to build relationships, improve my game for competition, and learn the rules and etiquette of the game. It’s incredible to think that myself and others I played junior golf with are now PGA Professionals in the Metropolitan Section. Growing up as a public golfer, the three main courses I played at most were Lido, Eisenhower Park, and Bethpage. As a High School golfer, I was introduced to The First Tee where I spent many hours volunteering to coach younger junior golfers and developing my passion for teaching and coaching. This opportunity would eventually help begin my career in junior golf. As a PGA/PGM student at Clemson University, I explored different internship opportunities and found that teaching/coaching was everything I wanted to do. My coach as a junior golfer, Mike Wade, PGA was the Director of The First Tee at the time and upon graduating, I was offered a position as the Program Director to develop and build junior programs. Now as the Head Golf Professional at Bethpage, I have the privilege of working for Kelley Brooke’s Golf Channel Academy coaching hundreds of junior golfers, helping them to get started learning the game, playing tournaments, or navigating their path towards higher levels of competition through the Met PGA Junior Tour.

Nick DeFalco, PGA Assistant Golf Professional Piping Rock Club

One of the best decisions I ever made was teeing it up amongst the competition of the Met PGA Junior Tour. Having grown up playing most of my golf at Crab Meadow, Head Professional, George Dixon, had told me that in order for me to take my game to the next level, I should entertain playing in the one-day tournaments that the Met Junior Tour sets up. My game slowly got better and in my last year, I actually won an event. From the four years I was in high school, I would guess that I was top five in rounds played.

Playing in that competitive environment really drove me to want to continue golf as a career. I then chose to attend Methodist University where I was able to play on the golf team and complete my PGM training. On January 1st 2018, I was elected to PGA Class A Membership. I have been an Assistant Professional at The Creek, Manhattan Woods Golf Club, and now Piping Rock Club. This past week at Piping Rock, we hosted the Met PGA Junior Tour’s Tommy Kuhn Cup. My last year of playing in the Met Junior Tour in 2013, I had qualified for the team. It was full circle and brought back great memories of my junior golf career playing all over the Met Area.

INCLUSION

ROAD TO GROWING THE GAME WITH KYRA COX

From her start on the Met PGA Junior Tour, down to Augusta National for the Drive, Chip & Putt National Championship, to shining on the collegiate golf stage, to now wearing several different hats in the Met Section office as a PGA Works Fellow, Kyra Cox is the consummate example of the PGA of America’s initiative: grow the game.

Kyra, whose journey into the competitive golf world followed the Met PGA Junior Tour roadmap, began competing at the age of nine. It did not take long for her to start winning 9-hole and 18hole events locally, before going on to shine on the national stage at events such as the Girls Junior PGA Championship and many others. In addition to winning Player of the Year honors with the Met PGA Junior Tour, one of the most special highlights of her junior golf career was qualifying for the 2016 Drive, Chip and Putt national finals at Augusta National.

Her love for the game wouldn’t stop at Augusta. Kyra would earn a spot on the Division I women’s golf team at Furman University where she competed for four years before taking her fifth full season at Howard University. During her time at Howard, Kyra was featured on ESPN’s critically acclaimed docuseries “Why Not Us” produced by Stephen Curry. This incredible documentary showcased the hard work and dedication to the game as Kyra and her teammates navigate the challenges and triumphs of an emerging Division I Historically Black College and University program. Her passion for the game would lead her back to where it all started, working in the Met Section office as our PGA Works Fellow. Between our three pillars of Youth, Military, and Inclusion, Kyra is spreading her love and knowledge of the game to everyone she meets and connects with. Take a look at what Kyra has to say about her journey and desire to teach and share the game she loves.

Q: How did the programming offered by the Met PGA Foundation such as the Junior Tour and DCP help grow your passion for the game?

A: The Met PGA Junior Tour was my first ever introduction to competitive golf. It was so easily accessible with events happening all over the Metropolitan Area. Being able to compete with other kids my age and being in an environment that promoted and pushed learning the game of golf in a very individual way gave me so much confidence and knowledge. Drive, Chip, and Putt was such an awesome concept and a huge motivation factor to be able to go to Augusta National. It pushed me to practice more and allowed me to see my game grow.

Q: Did competing in Drive, Chip & Putt local qualifiers, and at the national level, shape your love for golf and your playing ability?

A: The first two years participating in DCP local qualifiers, I didn’t advance past the subregional. That was extremely disappointing for me, and it made me really push myself for my last go around to perform well and just focus on those three aspects of my game. This allowed me to hone in on small details that ultimately helped me in my overall golf game while competing. Also, the whole atmosphere at the National Finals at ANGC was so amazing. I was able to meet so many inspiring people in the golf world and it was so special for all participants and families. It was hands down one of the best experiences of my life and made me fall in love with the game even more.

Q: What would you say to a young junior golfer who is thinking about getting involved in Drive, Chip and Putt?

A: Enjoy every second of it. It can go by so fast, but it’s so important to not put too much pressure on yourself and to have fun with this experience. This is also a once in a lifetime opportunity so make it worth your while!

Q: After your collegiate career, what made you want to stay involved on the Section level and give back?

A: After playing college golf for five years, I knew I didn’t want to pursue a life of professional golf, but I couldn’t just step away from one of my biggest passions. As I mentioned before, the Met PGA has been in my life from the very beginning, and I really consider it family. I love the Junior Tour and being able to see new generations of golfers come through and offer them guidance and support seemed like the perfect fit for me.

Q: You made it all the way to the National Finals of the Drive, Chip and Putt competition, and are now responsible for setting up and working local qualifiers in the Met Section. What is it like to see your journey come full circle?

A: I think it is super important for me to make the experience as fun and easy going as possible for participants! It’s so easy to get nervous and overwhelmed, so being able to encourage them, and make participants a little less nervous is so worth it. I also love seeing how many more children are getting into the game of golf. I feel like it has grown so much since I participated and it’s just super cool to see.

FOUNDATION AMBASSADORS

Rob Labritz, PGA PGA TOUR Champions

Labritz, McNeil, and Young have proven their ability to compete at the highest levels of their trade, but it’s their work off the course that shows their true character. Their desire to make a difference in the community on local and national levels is unmatched and we are extremely excited to have them as representatives of our Foundation initiatives.

Cameron Young Meets With Junior Golfers

Met PGA Foundation Ambassador, Cameron Young, was welcomed back to his home course of Sleepy Hollow Country Club to host a clinic and demonstration emceed by Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point General Manager, Brian Crowell. Young was set up on the first tee as he hit shot after shot with different clubs in his bag while answering questions from Crowell and the audience. The conversational demonstration touched on his year on the PGA Tour, what works for him on the course, what he does to prepare for events, and what his goals are moving forward.

Members of our Junior Tour were welcomed to attend and ask the PGA Tour competitor questions and advice as they move forward in their golf careers. Following the clinic, Young stayed to take pictures with our junior golfers, and continued to speak to them about his journey growing up through the Met PGA Junior Tour.

Jeff McNeil New York Mets

Cameron Young PGA TOUR

Dedicated to changing lives through the

GAME OF GOLF

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIRMAN

Charlie Robson

BOARD

Brian Crowell, PGA

Rich Jones, PGA

Heath Wassem, PGA

Kevin Dwyer

Augie Hoerrner

Dave Scialabba