The Sweet Spot: New youth tournament for Milwaukee; an 8,463-yard golf course; marketing deal for a 12-year-old phenom

New tournament for junior golfers in Milwaukee

Opportunities for junior golfers to compete in well-run tournaments throughout Wisconsin have exploded in recent years, thanks in large part to various programs administered by the Wisconsin PGA Section.

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Still, many aspiring junior golfers in Milwaukee can’t afford even modest entry fees and/or lack the means to travel to tournaments.

This year and going forward, they’ll have a tournament to call their own.

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In partnership with The Fellowship Open, the MKE Fellows, WeBlackWeGolf, Kappa League, First Tee — Southeast Wisconsin and PGA REACH Wisconsin will host the inaugural Fellowship Youth Open on Aug. 12 at Currie Park Golf Course in Wauwatosa.

The Fellowship Youth Open is an 18-hole stroke-play tournament open to youths ages 14-18 who reside or attend high school in Milwaukee. There is no cost for eligible players to participate.

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Top finishers in each division will be invited to play in The Fellowship Open on Aug. 19 at Silver Spring Golf Club in Menomonee Falls.

“Our efforts to engage a broad diversity of Milwaukee’s young people have gained phenomenal traction and next-level status with this inaugural youth golf initiative,” said MKE Fellows President John W. Daniels III.

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For 22 years, friends and supporters dedicated to serving young people in Milwaukee have gathered at The Fellowship Open. They share the core mission to acknowledge exceptional achievement and recognize outstanding leadership in promoting diversity, inclusion and youth empowerment.

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“I think golf in and of itself is important because of the networking aspect of it,” said Richard Badger, director of WeBlackWeGolf. “With this event, the ultimate goal is to introduce and expose youths to corporate leaders. The Fellowship Open draws a lot of corporate leaders, not just from Milwaukee but from all around the country.

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“This event will help expose kids from this area to other individuals who have grown up in similar communities. It shows them that though you come from a certain place, there are opportunities available to you. Golf becomes one of those opportunities.”

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Online registration is open now through Aug. 4. For more information, contact Amelia DeCeanne at adeceanne@pgahq.com.

“We’re hoping that we get a great response,” Badger said. “But we definitely know it’s going to be a continuum, so years down the road we anticipate this possibly being one of the largest youth tournaments.”