Beginnings
The idea behind the AJGA was conceived in the mid 1970s by Mike Bentley, a sportswriter in DeKalb County, Georgia. Bentley first formed the DeKalb Junior Golf Association in 1974, which eventually evolved into the Atlanta Junior Golf Association . Bentley soon realized the need for organized golf at the national level. At the time, there existed several national junior golf tournaments but no cohesive administration of junior golf events on a national scale. Bentley envisioned such an organization, and created the American Junior Golf Association to meet the need .
The AJGA conducted its first national junior golf event in 1978, the AJGA Tournament of Champions, at Inverrary Country Club in Lauderhill, Florida. Later that same year the AJGA introduced and conducted its second national event. In addition, the AJGA also named its first Rolex Junior All-Americans in 1978, and has done so every year since .
In 1984, Stephen Hamblin was hired as the Executive Director, the same role he continues to serve today. The AJGA's first permanent home was built in 1983 at Horseshoe Bend Country Club. Later the Association moved to a new facility in Braselton, Ga., at Chateau Elan Resort in September 2000 .
Read more about this topic: American Junior Golf Association
Famous quotes containing the word beginnings:
“The beginnings of altruism can be seen in children as early as the age of two. How then can we be so concerned that they count by the age of three, read by four, and walk with their hands across the overhead parallel bars by five, and not be concerned that they act with kindness to others?”
—Neil Kurshan (20th century)
“The frantic search of five-year-olds for friends can thus be seen to forecast the beginnings of a basic shift in the parent-child relationship, a shift which will occur gradually over many long years, and in which a child needs not only the support of child allies engaged in the same struggle but also the understanding of his parents.”
—Dorothy H. Cohen (20th century)
“These beginnings of commerce on a lake in the wilderness are very interesting,—these larger white birds that come to keep company with the gulls.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)