Monthly Archives: July 2026
USGA Renews IDEA Grant Funding to First Tee Chapters for Fifth Straight Year
LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. – The USGA is reinforcing its commitment to broadening golf’s reach with a new round of IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) grants awarded to 26 First Tee chapters across the United States. The funding supports local programs that introduce young people to golf while intentionally instilling the game’s values, like honesty, integrity and sportsmanship.
Since the grant program launched in 2021, the USGA has provided 155 grants totaling more than $1 million. These investments are designed to help First Tee chapters expand their impact in communities that have historically had limited access to the sport, creating more opportunities for youth to learn, play and grow through golf.
“Partnering with First Tee is central to the USGA’s mission to advance golf across all communities,” said the USGA CEO Mike Whan. “The initiatives led by local chapters this year demonstrate how the game can serve as a powerful catalyst for teaching young people valuable life lessons that extend far beyond the golf course.”
“We are grateful for the USGA’s continued investment in First Tee chapters and the young people they serve,” said First Tee CEO Greg McLaughlin. “Through partnerships like this one, we are able to reach more kids in more communities, giving them access, not just to play the game, but to tools that will help them navigate life with confidence and character. That is the heart of what First Tee is all about.”
Among the First Tee chapters receiving IDEA grants this year, some notable programs that will benefit from the funds are below:
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Full List of First Tee Chapters Receiving 2026 IDEA Grants |
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| First Tee – Birmingham | First Tee – Hawaii |
| First Tee – Central Ohio | First Tee – Lake Erie |
| First Tee – Coachella Valley | First Tee – Los Angeles |
| First Tee – Eastern Michigan | First Tee – Metropolitan New York |
| First Tee – Four Corners | First Tee – Middle Georgia |
| First Tee – Greater Baltimore | First Tee – Orange County |
| First Tee – Greater Charleston | First Tee – Oregon |
| First Tee – Greater Chicago | First Tee – Phoenix |
| First Tee – Greater Detroit | First Tee – Piney Woods (Texas) |
| First Tee – Greater Philadelphia | First Tee – Raritan Valley (New Jersey) |
| First Tee – Greater Richmond | First Tee – Southeastern New Mexico |
| First Tee – Greater Seattle | First Tee – Triad (North Carolina) |
| First Tee – Greater Washington, DC | First Tee – West Michigan |
As a founding partner of First Tee, the USGA contributes $200,000 each year to grassroots initiatives focused on youth development. This ongoing support helps chapters remove common barriers to participation, such as cost and access, ensuring more young people can experience the game and the life skills it promotes.
As part of an organizational commitment to ensure the game continues to thrive for generations to come, the USGA annually invests more than $10 million into junior golf programs, including First Tee, LPGA-USGA Girls Golf, Drive, Chip & Putt, and the AJGA, as well as the U.S. National Development Program, which serves as a developmental pipeline for the nation’s most talented youth.
Senators Press for Answers on Trump’s DC Golf Course Takeover
WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), joined by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), pressed the Trump Administration for detailed answers to a series of questions on the Department of the Interior’s plans for East Potomac Park redevelopment, citing concerns about impacts on public access and affordability, historic preservation, misuse of taxpayer funds, and environmental and public health. The Senator’s letter comes after public reporting and the Administration’s social media announcements of new plans for the park – which have yet to be detailed to the public – and follows up on a previous unanswered letter from the Senators earlier this year.
“We write to follow up on our letter from January 26, 2026 that raised serious concerns regarding the Administration’s termination of the lease held by the National Links Trust (NLT) for operation of East Potomac Golf Links, Langston Golf Course, and Rock Creek Park Golf Course. More than five months have passed since this letter was sent to you, and we have yet to receive a response. At an April Senate Appropriations hearing, Secretary Burgum acknowledged that he had not seen the letter, but assured Senator Van Hollen that the Department would respond. In the interim, the Administration has continued to advance plans for these courses, including Secretary Burgum’s announcement on social media of a renovation design by Fazio Design for East Potomac Golf Links, without any disclosure to the public or to Congress of the scope, cost, or basis on which that engagement was awarded. The absence of any reply is itself troubling, and recent developments have made our concerns considerably more urgent,” the Senators begin.
On the National Park Service’s plans for East Potomac redevelopment and the lack of transparency, the Senators wrote, “the only detail provided was a low-resolution image of the proposed course, leaving the public and Congress entirely in the dark about the scope of the redevelopment, including to what extent redevelopment will ensure continued public access to the waterfront, address existing infrastructure issues on Hains Point, and protect important artifacts such as the historic cherry trees on the White Course – the oldest grove of Japanese cherry trees in D.C..”
On Trump’s visit to East Potomac Golf Links on June 28, 2026, the Senators wrote, “Following that visit, the President announced on social media that work on East Potomac would begin on September 1, 2026, described the course as severely neglected, and stated that the redesigned course could host major professional golf tournaments. These photos and statements seem to illustrate the Administration’s plans for East Potomac Park, yet the Department has still not provided Congress or the public with basic details about the scope of the project, the funding source, the expected period of closure or disruption, the effect on current users, or how such an accelerated timeline can be reconciled with applicable environmental, historic-preservation, procurement, and public-engagement requirements.”
The Senators go on to request answers to the following questions:
<![if !supportLists]>1. <![endif]>How will the Department ensure that course fees and access at East Potomac Golf Links remain genuinely affordable for the communities that have depended on these public courses for nearly a century? Does the Department anticipate that course fees will increase or that the annual number of publicly available rounds of golf will decrease, as compared to when the course was managed by National Links Trust? If so, please provide estimates of the expected changes in cost and availability.
<![if !supportLists]>2. <![endif]>How will the Department ensure continued access for the bikers, walkers, runners, and recreational fishermen that utilize the popular waterfront Hains Point Loop Trail at East Potomac Park?
<![if !supportLists]>3. <![endif]>What assessment has been made of potential health risks to golfers, course employees, youth program participants, and the surrounding environment at East Potomac Park, including the Potomac River?
<![if !supportLists]>4. <![endif]>What plans are in place to remediate hazardous substances identified in the debris pile, what is the expected timeline for remediation actions, and who will bear the cost of these cleanup efforts?
<![if !supportLists]>5. <![endif]>How does the Department intend to ensure compliance with all applicable federal environmental and public health laws, including any requirements for environmental assessment?
<![if !supportLists]>6. <![endif]>Does the Department intend to rebuild the seawall before starting broader redevelopment at East Potomac Golf Links? How does the Department intend to fund the full scope of redevelopment, including seawall reconstruction? Will this be financed through federal appropriations, private donations, or some combination thereof, and has Congress been consulted about any use of taxpayer funds?
<![if !supportLists]>7. <![endif]>What steps is the Department taking to protect the historic cherry trees on the White Course at East Potomac Golf Links, reportedly among the last surviving trees from the original 1910 gift from Japan, from any planned redevelopment or restoration work? How will the Department protect cherry trees along the waterfront at East Potomac Park?
<![if !supportLists]>8. <![endif]>East Potomac Park serves a wide range of users beyond golfers, including runners, cyclists, tennis players, fishermen, and families who rely on its open spaces and waterfront access. What assurances can the Department provide that the planned redevelopment will preserve access to these public spaces?
“The municipal golf courses of Washington, D.C. are public assets with deep historical, recreational, and community value. Decisions affecting their future, and the health and safety of those who use them, must be guided by law, transparency, and fidelity to the public trust. The Administration’s failure to respond to the questions posed in the January letter, combined with the significant new developments outlined above, compels us to seek answers with greater urgency,” the lawmakers concluded.
Full text of the letter is available here.
Bob Buck Named Inaugural McGraw Family Award Recipient
The United States Golf Association (USGA) announced today that Bob Buck of Bethlehem, Pa., has been named the recipient of its newest honor – the McGraw Family Award – created to recognize an individual who has demonstrated exemplary commitment to expanding opportunities in golf for those with disabilities.
The award, part of a multi-year commitment from the Harold McGraw III Foundation to support the U.S. Adaptive Open, will be presented annually to honor those who have had a meaningful impact on the adaptive golf community through advocacy, outreach, programming, partnership and service, while demonstrating strong character and integrity. The award was presented to Buck Saturday night at the 5th U.S. Adaptive Open players’ dinner at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md.
“The support of the Harold McGraw III Foundation and the McGraw Family enables us to continue elevating the U.S. Adaptive Open and recognize someone who has given so much to adaptive golf through the McGraw Family Award,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan. “There is no more deserving recipient than Bob Buck, whose contributions over several decades have been profound, and whose unwavering commitment to creating opportunities for adaptive golfers at every level has left a lasting impact that is truly worth celebrating.”
Buck, a below-knee amputee since 1970, established the Eastern Amputee Golf Association (EAGA) in 1986 to raise awareness for golfers with disabilities through competitions and clinics. In the years since, the EAGA has grown into one of the largest organizations in the country dedicated to grassroots adaptive golf programming.
From supporting wounded veterans and others through instructional classes to chairing the accessibility efforts at the 2000 U.S. Senior Open – the first USGA championship to offer scooter and wheelchair viewing in the stands – Buck’s contributions have created opportunities for countless individuals. A talented player, he won more than 24 EAGA events, while also claiming multiple regional titles and competing both nationally and internationally in adaptive golf events.
“I’m beyond humbled to be the first recipient of this award,” said Buck. “This has been a passion of mine for more years than I can count, and to be recognized this way honestly leaves me speechless.”
