Make it Fun.  Make it Matter. Creating Lifelong Golfers Through Jr. League

Presented by Matt Montecucco, PGA
2025 PNW PGA Youth Development Award winner

My goal is to show fellow PGA Professionals that a successful junior program isn't just about registrations, winning matches, or developing great golfers. It's about creating an experience that keeps kids excited, families engaged, and players coming back year after year.

Topics include:

• Fun First, Development Always – Building a culture where kids want to return.
• Creating a Junior Golf Pathway – Connecting beginner instruction, recreational leagues, competitive programs, and long-term player development.
• Growing PGA Jr. League Participation – Strategies for scheduling, retention, and sustainable program growth.
• More Than Just Golf – Building friendships, confidence, teamwork, and a sense of belonging.
• Engaging Parents and Families – Turning parents into supporters, volunteers, and advocates for your program.
• Developing Competitive Golfers Without Losing the Fun – Using recreational and competitive seasons to support different player goals.
• Building a Program That Lasts – Creating repeatable systems, empowering fellow coaches, and developing opportunities for continued participation.
• Lessons From Chambers Bay – Sharing real experiences, successes, challenges, and ideas other PGA Professionals can take back to their facilities.

You don't need a massive facility, a large coaching staff, or hundreds of juniors to make a meaningful impact. You just need to create an experience that makes kids want to come back.

Worth 1 PGA Required PDR and ½ AMP Education credit for Associates

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Matt Montecucco is recognized for his exceptional leadership in youth golf development at Chambers Bay. His junior pathway model—spanning camps, clinics, year-round coaching, and on-course play—creates meaningful and welcoming opportunities for young players of all skill levels. Under his guidance, Chambers Bay now hosts one of the nation’s largest single-facility PGA Jr. League programs, growing from 190 juniors in 2023 to 308 in 2024. Matt’s commitment to accessibility, including specialized instruction for adaptive and visually impaired athletes, sets a high standard within the Section. His innovation, inclusivity, mentorship, and measurable impact make him a leader in youth player development.