April 8, 2013
GROW THE GAME ANNOUNCEMENT
CRAIG HEATLEY: Ladies and gentlemen, a very warm welcome to an exciting afternoon. You're going to hear about a very positive initiative for the game of golf. Like to introduce the three gentlemen on the stage this afternoon, Mr.Billy Payne, chairman of Augusta National in the middle; to his right, Mr.Glen Nager, the President of the United States Golf Association; and on my side, Mr.Ted Bishop, the president of The PGA of America.
My name is Craig Heatley. I'm the chairman of the Masters Media Committee, and it's my honor to welcome you all. Each of these gentlemen are going to speak very briefly about a very exciting and positive initiatives and following their comments, we'll open for questions.
CHAIRMAN PAYNE: Thank you very much, Craig. As you began your remarks, I couldn't help recall that nobody could understand me when I was chairman of the Media Committee to you fall right into the job (laughter).
Hello, everybody, I'm Billy Payne and I have the privilege today of representing the Masters Tournament Foundation as we announce yet another important initiative to strengthen and to accelerate our Membership's longtime commitment to contribute to the health and the growth of the game of golf.
I'm honored to be joined by these two very important gentlemen, Mr.Glen Nager, President of the United States Golf Association; and Mr.Ted Bishop, president of The PGA of America. Representing their respective organizations, they join me today in this important and this fun announcement of the creation of the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship, a new nationwide junior skills competition for boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 15.
Following this summer's local and regional qualifiers, finalists in each of the four age classifications, boys and girls, will come to Augusta National next April, the Sunday before the Masters Tournament, to compete in the championship finals.
Imagine, if you will, the incredible excitement these 88 finalists will experience as they come to the site of the Masters to compete in the driving and chipping on our beautiful tournament practice range, and as they conclude their competition, putting to win as all major Masters champions have before, on the 18th green, of Augusta National Golf Club.
No doubt, we believe, April 6, 2014, will be a very special day for these kids, one they will surely never forget, and that will be a very special day thanks to the Golf Channel for the millions of kids watching on TV, who may be deciding at that very moment, to give golf a try.
We have long admired the efforts of the USGA and The PGA of America to grow the game, and we are so pleased to be afforded the opportunity to join them in this very special initiative. We all share the belief that if we can make golf fun, kids will come. And particularly, because they can dream about coming to this very special and historic location. And we want the public to cheer these kids on, so we will open our gates that Sunday to allow several ticketed Patrons to enjoy what will surely be a very impressive display of skills from our youthful competitors.
It is our collective hope and belief that this quest to make it to Augusta National will become the dream of kids all over the country and their participation will inspire others to make the effort, and by doing so, to discover this wonderful, wonderful game. So I say to all moms and dads: Go to drivechipandputt.com and begin your child's journey to Augusta.
Thank you, Craig.
CRAIG HEATLEY: Mr.Chairman, thanks. He will be followed by Mr.Glen Nager, president of the USGA.
GLEN NAGER: Thank you, Mr. Heatley, and a very heartfelt thanks to you Chairman Payne, and to Presidentbishop. The USGA is delighted to be part of the development and founding of such a meaningful program aimed at making golf more welcoming to kids and by doing so contributing to the health of the game of golf here in the United States.
Among our many challenges here in the United States is finding creative ways to make the game more accessible, especially among our nation's youth. The Drive, Chip & Putt Championship that we are collaboratively announcing today is an exciting new effort in this regard, and together with our partners at Augusta National Golf Club and The PGA of America, we look forward to leading the longterm success of this new championship.
For our part, the USGA is pleased to bring to this endeavor our experience and capabilities in conducting national championships, as well as our longtime commitment to the amateur game.
In its design, the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship is open to all juniors ages 7 through 15 with boys and girls competing in separate divisions across four age categories. The program is free of charge to all participants who need only submit an entry to compete in one local competition. Each participant will compete will all three skill categories, accumulating points for driving, chipping and putting.
For the driving portion of the competition, participants' shots must land within a 30yard fairway to score points, with points increasing incrementally based on the length of the drive.
Around the green each participant will attempt three 10 to 15yard chip shots with shots measured from the center of the scoring hole. Each participant will accumulate points based on the ball's relative closeness to the hole after each shot. Finally as to the putting competition, each participant will attempt one putt from three different distances, 6 feet, 15 feet and 30 feet, with points determined by the ball's relative closeness to the hole. More information on eligibility and the rules can be found on the program website, again, drivechipandputt.com.
Our collective efforts to promote amateur golf are as critical today as they have ever been in the past. Our game is facing real challenges here in the United States concerning its health, and Drive, Chip & Putt is just one way that we can attract and grow a new generation of players to the game.
We at the USGA applaud the collective vision, creativity and collaboration that's occurred to bring this innovative idea to life and to ensure the longterm success of this championship.
In closing, let me say that it's particularly fitting that this new national skills competition for young amateurs culminates here at Augusta National Golf Club. In establishing this temple for the game some 80 years ago, Bobby Jones saw fit to create more than simply a landscape on which to play golf. He imbued this club with a powerful dignity and reverence for those that compete simply for the love of the game, that's what amateur golf is. It's our hope that this program in its own way further strengthens the important bond that has existed since the days of Mr.Jones, between Augusta National and the young amateurs who play the game today and who we hope will play in the future. Thank you.
CRAIG HEATLEY: Thank you, Glen. And to follow, Mr.Ted Bishop, president of The PGA of America.
TED BISHOP: Thank you, Mr. Heatley. It's certainly my pleasure to be here on behalf of The PGA of America and our 27,000 golf professionals who I know are very thrilled to be able to partner with our friends here at Augusta National Golf Club and the United States Golf Association.
I can tell you that this exciting new venture truly represents the spirit of collaboration and cooperation among our three organizations, and it's an exciting week for The PGA of America, because on Wednesday, we are going to celebrate our 97th birthday. And to be able to make this announcement and to really stick with what we have done over the years in terms of growing the game of golf among people of all ages and abilities with a unique opportunity like this is extremely exciting to all of us associated with The PGA of America.
We certainly believe that kids throughout the country are going to be energized to be part of the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship, and already among our professionals, we've experienced a great sense of anticipation with more than a hundred PGA staff facilities nationwide agreeing to host both the local and the regional qualifying events.
Glen mentioned that there are going to be four age categories, and I will run through those quickly with you. The youngest will be 79 years old, next will be a 10 to 11yearold age category, followed by 1213 years old, and an age group with 14 and 15 year olds.
There will be both boys and girls who will compete in separate divisions in each category. The Drive, Chip & Putt Championship will be conducted in three stages from June 1 through July 31 of this year, there's going to be 110 local qualifying events conducted in 19 states and Washington, D.C. from each of the 110 local qualifying events, the top two overall point earners in each of the boys and girls divisions from the four age categories will then advance to the regional qualifying level of the competition.
The regional qualifying events, which will be held August 131, will include 160 kids at a course in the following 11 states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, two in the State of Texas, Virginia, and Washington. The overall champion in each of the boys and girls divisions from the four age categories will advance to compete here at Augusta National next spring.
So in all, you're going to have 88 youngsters Nationwide will have the chance to drive, chip and putt on these hallowed grounds on Sunday April 6 of 2014. I can't imagine what that will be like for obviously any of those kids that qualify.
But you know what I'm especially pleased with is that through the grassroots programs run by our PGA professionals, which are going to lead to the championship finals, there will be more than 17,000 kids who are going to have a chance to fulfill their dreams of competing at the home of the Masters Tournament. There will be upward of a 100,000 kids who will have interest in this competition as it unfolds. The PGA of America I believe is uniquely positioned to support Drive, Chip & Putt through our network of PGA Sections, and of course our men and women golf professionals. It was the Executive Directors of these PGA Sections within these regions who determined where the qualifying sites were going to be. We tried to place an emphasis on those facilities that have developed strong player development programs in the past. We've taken into consideration a fair geographical distribution in each of these markets, and we have blended both public and private facilities, as well.
Our PGA professionals have proudly grown the game throughout our nearly 100 years. We go to work every day with a steadfast commitment to make the game more enjoyable for all that we serve, so we expect a high level of interest from everybody with this new championship and I don't think there can be any question that's going to happen.
I know there are professionals who will do a great job promoting the local and regional qualifiers and they are going to make these events memorable and certainly a lasting experience for all of the kids that participate. Through the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship, our next generation of players are really going to have an extraordinary opportunity to realize the dream of countless golfers worldwide. The PGA of America and our professionals are honored to be involved especially at a time when growing the game is paramount in the minds of all of us that certainly deeply care about that.
We thank you for your belief in The PGA of America and our dedicated professionals and we are certainly excited to get this championship started.
CRAIG HEATLEY: Gentlemen, thank you. Questions from the floor.
Q. Mr.Chairman, considering the stature the Masters has in the sport, how important is it for Augusta National Golf Club to play a leading role in growing the game?
CHAIRMAN PAYNE: I think we decided, well, actually through efforts going back 50 years to try to be a positive influence in the game of golf, mostly for the first several decades by contributing substantial proceeds from the Tournament to the various golf organizations.
A little while ago we decided to take a little more active role. Since then, we have been proud to implement our Junior Pass Programs, allowing young kids free admission to the tournament. We created, of course, televising the Par 3 which has brought it in to the families of people all across America. We created a video game trying to get the next generation of kids responsive and happy about the opportunity to see, participate in golf. We created the AsiaPacific Amateur Championship and very proudly, a very young man is here this week, the 2012 champion.
So we have felt the obligation for decades to be a positive force in the game of golf, and we have been very fortunate recently, in one case, with the R&A, and in this particular case, with the USGA and The PGA of America to secure important partnerships with the hope and expectation that collectively we can do better than any of us could do individually.
So we are committed to the sport of golf, to introducing golf to the next generation, and I suspect that we'll stay on that track well into the future.
Q. I heard you mention the practice facility, but you also said something about the 18th green, would you talk about how that comes into play?
CHAIRMAN PAYNE: Sure did. Well, you're stealing my remarks from Wednesday. We talked about it, and we offered to put up Augusta National as the finals venue. We thought about what would be thrilling and exciting, and we couldn't help but think, historically, how many of the great golfers, professionals of the world, have visualized making the winning putt on the 18th green to secure their Masters title.
So we thought, if we could duplicate that, share it with these kids, it would be both thrilling for them and amazing to watch. So I think that's what led us to the 18th green putting, which will be the final event, and hopefully we'll get some of those great, exciting gestures (indicating fist pump).
Q. What does the winner get, green vest, anything like that?
CHAIRMAN PAYNE: An experience of a lifetime.
Q. You mentioned thousands of Patrons, roughly how many do you anticipate?
CHAIRMAN PAYNE: We don't know. The right number. And I suspect that will be the amount of people that comfortably fit in the confines of the practice area and the 18th green.
Q. Could you tell us about the genesis of the idea, and in particular, the format, and how everybody got involved?
CHAIRMAN PAYNE: We have all discussed over the years ways to work together better to create more meaningful partnerships. We are all trying to do the same thing, and I think we all do it effectively, but if we could combine the same motive, the same intention with even more intellectual capability, perhaps the result would be better.
So we have been talking quite a while, and each of the parties contributed meaningfully to how we conduct it, how we qualify for it, where we are going to do the finals. It was a wonderful collaboration.
Q. Mr.Nager, can you talk about, the USGA has not traditionally been a growthegame organization, but it sounds like this is part of a change in attitude. Can you talk about that?
GLEN NAGER: Well, I can just say that we are very pleased to join with Augusta National and The PGA of America in yet another program that we believe is good for the health of the game. We have had programs with The PGA of America, with our Boys & Girls Club program, getting minority youth involved around the country for years.
Chairman Payne and I have been discussing a number of issues of mutual interest, again, to get kids more interested in the game of golf. And the most disturbing demographic that's out there is the approximately 30percent decline in participation among juniors in the game in the United States.
So this is a joint effort on our part with The PGA of America and its 27,000 teaching professionals and the generosity and spirit of Augusta National Golf Club to try to stimulate interest in the game for America's youth.
Q. I gathered from what you said, this will be logistically overseen by the PGA?
TED BISHOP: Correct.
Q. Mr.Chairman, will the children be restricted on any kind of putters that they are able to use (laughter) ?
CHAIRMAN PAYNE: I'm not on the putting committee (laughter).
Q. There have been some famous putts made at the 18th hole; will any of those be recreated?
CHAIRMAN PAYNE: We have discussed that. You may see a few, yes. You can probably tell me which ones (smiling).