Nowlen, Chris - PGA JAM

Property: Missoula CC

Location: Missoula, MT

Program Contact: Chris Nowlen

Contact Phone/Email: 406.251.2404 / cnowlen@pga.com

Name of PD Program: PGA JAM

Type of PD Program: Junior Golf Program

Details of Program

Missoula Country Club and the Professional staff is piloting a new program under the direction of Chris Nowlen. PGA JAM stands for Junior Ambassador Member. Youths from MCC have joined the program to experience the business of golf and the experiences the game has to offer off the course. The purpose of the program, which is gaining attention of PGA leadership in our PNW PGA Section and at the National PGA level, is to give youths a personal growth advantage through golf. PGA JAM guides them into leaders in their community by providing youths opportunities to develop junior golf events, fundraise for charities, participate in charitable programs, and receive mentoring from PGA Professionals and business leaders.

Results of Program

Chris, along with PGA Professionals Connor Sproull and David Owens, and golf course Superintendent Nick Marquesen, recently completed the first JAM event at Missoula CC. The event was a golf fundraiser run by the 15 youth JAM members. The kids performed all the tasks to put on a successful golf event, and did just that, raising nearly $3,000 for the club’s junior golf program. In the process, the Jammers selected the format, picked food (doughnuts & bacon), tee gifts, and hole locations, and did all execution from registration to the shotgun start, to the scoring and presentation at the end of the event.

At the conclusion of the event, Connor Sproull, PGA and David Owens, PGA both said it was one of their favorite events they have ever executed. Nick Marquesen, GCSAA, whose 9-year-old son did the pre-tournament announcements, said it was his favorite event of his career. Parents raved as their children played as celebrities on each team and enjoyed the experience of providing golfers great fun.

Next up for MCC’s PGA JAM program is a Turkey Drive for the community in November. The kids will help donate turkeys to the community and provide 15 full meal boxes to needy families in their schools. In the spring, the Jammers will complete their third project by conducting their own simulator league.

Recommendations

Stay tuned for more on the new PGA JAM program. If you are interested in signing up as a host of a PGA JAM program, contact the Section office. The Section has grant funds available to start a pilot program in each of the five Chapters.