IAGA Quick Hits | 8.24.26
Golf for All Fund Donation Expands Access for Toronto Youth
From Golf Ontario
Hundreds of Toronto youth will have the opportunity to experience golf this summer thanks to a generous donation through Golf Ontario’s Golf for All Fund.
The $3,000 contribution from the Michael Cundari Memorial Fund will help provide subsidized Youth on Course rounds for young golfers who were unable to secure a City of Toronto Junior Golf Membership after unprecedented demand filled the program earlier this spring.
Interest in the City’s junior golf program reached record levels in 2026, with more than 5,000 people online when registration opened. Approximately 300 memberships were claimed within the first 15 minutes, and by the end of registration, 670 memberships had been sold, leaving another 250 youth on a waitlist.
Recognizing an opportunity to make a meaningful impact, Golf Ontario worked with the City of Toronto and the Michael Cundari Memorial Fund to create a solution. The donation will fund 700 Youth on Course rounds for waitlisted juniors this summer.
“This is exactly the type of impact the Golf for All Fund was created to make,” said Craig Loughry, Senior Director, Membership & Member Services at Golf Ontario. “When we can remove barriers and help more young people experience golf, everyone wins. We’re incredibly grateful to the Michael Cundari Memorial Fund for choosing to invest in the next generation of golfers and helping ensure hundreds of kids have the opportunity to get on the course this summer.”
AZ GOLF Foundation Launches, Marking a New Chapter for the Sport in Arizona
From AZ GOLF
Formerly the Arizona Golf Foundation, the newly re-branded organization unites access, pathways and stewardship programs under a single strategic direction to provide opportunity through the game statewide.
AZ GOLF, the governing body for amateur golf in Arizona and the state’s representative to the USGA, recently announced the launch of the AZ GOLF Foundation, a relaunch and evolution of the organization formerly known as the
Arizona Golf Foundation.
The Foundation’s mission is expanding opportunity for more people to access, experience and thrive in the game of golf across Arizona — opening pathways for future generations and investing in the long-term health of the game through meaningful stewardship.
“The AZ GOLF Foundation gives us an opportunity to make a meaningful and lasting impact on the game throughout Arizona.,” said John Souza, President AZ GOLF. “By bringing together people who care about golf and want to give back, we can expand access to the game, support programs that make a difference, and create opportunities for golfers of all ages and backgrounds. I’m excited about what the Foundation can become and the role it can play in strengthening the future of golf in Arizona.”
Developed under the governance of AZ GOLF, the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that supports programs and initiatives showcasing golf’s ability to change lives across the state.
Always Time for the Game: Eric Kleser brings experience to his internship with Pathways Discover Program
From WA Golf
The term “Pathways” seems very appropriate for Eric Kleser’s journey, as his is not an everyday one. At 43 years old, he was easily – by two decades or more – the oldest of the 25 college students who were selected to participate in this year’s USGA Pathways Discover Program, the annual 10-day immersive internship program that is centered each year around the U.S. Open.
But with Eric recently completing the program, held June 12-22 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., he found that he was not walking the journey alone.
Growing up in Vancouver, Wash., immediately after graduating from Evergreen High School Eric enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. Trained as a crew mechanic and flight engineer, he was first stationed in Japan, and for the next 20 years devoted himself to his military career.
Soft-spoken and modest, he slowly recounted his service in the Air Force. “I flew over 4,000 flight hours on MC-130s (special operations), E-4B, and AWACS,” he said. “I was recognized as a member of the best air refueling crew in the U.S. Air Force in 2013. I have a meritorious service medal, 10 air medals, and six aerial achievement medals as my top decorations.” He also deployed numerous times to Afghanistan and Kuwait, and flew over 1,000 combat sorties.
In 2021, after 20 years of service, Eric retired as a U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant. He was just 38 years old. “I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do next,” he said. “But I had a general idea.”
MGA Foundation’s 100 Hole Hike Returns for 2026
From the Minnesota Golf Association
The sun is barely up at Lafayette Club, and a small crowd is already gathering on the first tee.
By the time the last group finishes, it will be evening, the group will have played 100 holes, and every one of them will have raised money to help a kid somewhere in Minnesota play golf for the first time.
This is the 100 Hole Hike.
Where the Hike Began:
The 100 Hole Hike started as a national fundraiser through Youth on Course. The MGA launched its own Youth on Course chapter in 2017, and demand grew fast to stage the Hike in Minnesota.
MGA’s Joel Comstock, who was instrumental in launching the Youth on Course program in Minnesota back in 2017, remembers those early years well.
“We needed to find another way to cover our expenses that we were creating,” he explains. “The 100 Hole Hike has been a great tool for us here in Minnesota.”