FORE Magazine

Top Menu

  • About Me
  • Contact Us
  • Home

Main Menu

  • Current Issue
  • Digital Book
  • Profiles
  • Sustainability
  • Travel
  • 19th Hole
  • Classic Course
  • FORE Her
  • More
    • Know the Rules
    • Handicap Hints
    • SCGA Junior
    • Where Are They Now?
    • News
    • Public Affairs
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login

logo

FORE Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Digital Book
  • Profiles
  • Sustainability
  • Travel
  • 19th Hole
  • Classic Course
  • FORE Her
  • More
    • Know the Rules
    • Handicap Hints
    • SCGA Junior
    • Where Are They Now?
    • News
    • Public Affairs
NewsSCGA Junior
Home›News›Youth on Course: Giving Back Through Golf

Youth on Course: Giving Back Through Golf

By Julia Pine
January 1, 2015
6580
0
Share:
SCGA Junior Ashleigh Park

Tis’ the season for giving. Or Twas’ the season (but shouldn’t every season be about giving)? Either way, we can look to 13-year-old Youth on Course member Ashleigh Park for an example of what it means to give back. Ashleigh, a seventh grader at Newhart Middle School in Mission Viejo, was given the gift of golf at a young age, and now she’s helping give it back to others.

“My dad told me that I was going to help others because others had helped me,” said Ashleigh, who has volunteered at a number of SCGA Youth on Course Outings. “But it’s been so much fun. I feel like I’m in second grade again when SCGA Junior GolfI’m with the younger kids because they just have so much fun playing golf and I get to experience that with them.”

Ashleigh began playing at seven years old, balancing her love of golf and soccer for a while before deciding to turn all her athletic attention to the links.

“Now I play golf every single day, and I don’t want to stop playing every day because it’s my thing,” she said. “I love it.”

Almost immediately after becoming involved with golf Ashleigh became a member of Youth on Course.

“My dad signed me up,” Ashleigh said. “Youth on Course helps us afford golf, but it also helps me get better. I can practice more, hit more balls and play the course more often.”

With SCGA Youth on Course’s golf pass, Ashleigh is able to hit buckets of balls for $2 and play courses for $3-$5. The practice has paid off, and in 2014 she qualified at just 13 years old for the final playing of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship, where she shot rounds of 75-75 to just miss making match play.

“That was an awesome experience,” she said. “Entering the golf course I saw the banners of previous champions and just thought, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe I’m here.’ They treat the players so well at events like that, I had never experienced anything like it.”

Ashleigh keeps up with competitive events all year long in the SCPGA’s Toyota Tour Cup, and also plays in a number of AJGA tournaments in the spring and summer. Next up? She hopes to improve her game enough when in high school to play collegiate golf.

“I definitely want to play in college,” she said. “I’ve heard from Annie Park of USC how much fun college can be and how beneficial it is to play on a college golf team, and that just makes me want to try it. I’d also love to make a Curtis Cup team. Those would be goals for me before hopefully turning professional.”

But the biggest goal for Ashleigh, who hasn’t forgotten the lessons of giving back taught to her by her dad?

“To be honest,” she said, “I just want to be one of those players that make a difference.”

Previous Article

“If I Ran a Charity Tournament…”

Next Article

1990: Full Circle Journey

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Julia Pine

Since joining the SCGA in early 2011, Julia has worked to enhance members experiences on scga.org with fresh content, in-depth coverage of tournaments, videos, member engagement opportunities and more. She is the editor of the SCGA's FORE magazine and plusFORE digital magazine and handles the Association's growing social media program and media relations. Julia is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University and grew up in Berkeley, Calif. For her, sports is not just a career, but a passion.

Related articles More from author

  • ProfilesSCGA JuniorWinter 2018

    Up, Up and Away

    April 26, 2018
    By Jonathan Coe
  • Gears For Good
    News

    Gears for Good

    January 1, 2014
    By Julia Pine
  • Hardy Amiche
    NewsSpring 2016

    Hollywood Swings: The Longtime Love Affair with Golf

    April 1, 2016
    By David Weiss
  • Fall 2018SCGA Junior

    Kids, Having Fun Out There?

    October 22, 2018
    By Ken Van Vechten
  • NewsWinter 2022

    Road Trip for a Cause: 50 Rounds, 50 States, in 50 Days

    January 24, 2022
    By Tod Leonard
  • 12 Green Construction
    NewsSummer 2016

    Design 2.0: Reimagining Some of the Southland’s Iconic Golf Courses

    July 1, 2016
    By Tod Leonard

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Recent Posts

  • FeaturedIn The ClubhousePublic AffairsSpring 2025

    Doing More With Less

  • At The TurnFeaturedSCGA JuniorSpring 2025

    Mr. & Mrs. Porter

  • 19th HoleFeaturedSummer 2024

    A Feast for the Senses

  • FeaturedHandicap HintsIn The ClubhouseSpring 2025

    Fun & Games

  • At The TurnFeaturedSpring 2025Travel

    Irish Ayes

  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • John Henebry

    By Judd Spicer
    May 15, 2025
  • Fun & Games

    By Kevin O'Connor
    May 15, 2025
  • Rule 25

    By Jimmy Becker
    May 15, 2025
  • Doing More With Less

    By Kevin Fitzgerald
    May 15, 2025
  • Original Wonder Woman

    By Joe Passov
    May 15, 2025
  • Handicap Hints: Exceptional Score Reductions

    By Kevin O'Connor
    October 14, 2020
  • The Diva Golfer

    By Azucena Maldonado
    January 31, 2017
  • Muni He: Return Engagement

    By Judd Spicer
    February 3, 2020
  • Club Spotlight: Making Cuts On & Off the Course

    By Scott Fluhler
    October 13, 2020
  • The USGA’s Major Proposed Changes to the Rules of Golf

    By admin
    December 14, 2017
  • 📫 Message- TRANSACTION 1.126634 BTC. Receive >> https://graph.org/Payout-from-Blockchaincom-06-26?hs=e2be6682a830b6e85557dfe71267b963& 📫
    on
    July 11, 2025

    Club Spotlight: Speedgolf Southern California (Speedgolf SoCal)

    kvb1cj
  • XOM target price
    on
    July 11, 2025

    Club Spotlight: Making Cuts On & Off the Course

    Hi there, just wanted ...
  • Forex vs. binary options
    on
    July 11, 2025

    Club Spotlight: Making Cuts On & Off the Course

    Hmm is anyone else ...
  • Weekend online trading
    on
    July 11, 2025

    Club Spotlight: Making Cuts On & Off the Course

    Magnificent beat ! I ...
  • Building Forex trading APIs
    on
    July 11, 2025

    Club Spotlight: Making Cuts On & Off the Course

    I think this is ...

RECENT COMMENTS

  • 📫 Message- TRANSACTION 1.126634 BTC. Receive >> https://graph.org/Payout-from-Blockchaincom-06-26?hs=e2be6682a830b6e85557dfe71267b963& 📫 on Club Spotlight: Speedgolf Southern California (Speedgolf SoCal)
  • XOM target price on Club Spotlight: Making Cuts On & Off the Course
  • Forex vs. binary options on Club Spotlight: Making Cuts On & Off the Course
  • Weekend online trading on Club Spotlight: Making Cuts On & Off the Course
  • Building Forex trading APIs on Club Spotlight: Making Cuts On & Off the Course
© 2016 FORE Magazine About Us | Contact Us | Advertise