One of Mass Golf’s most frequently played Youth on Course clubs is South Shore Country Club in Hingham, MA. There were 582 YOC rounds (good for fourth most in the state) played at SSCC last year, a drastic increase compared to 179 in 2020 and 62 in 2019. We talked to Chris Riley, Head Golf Professional at South Shore, about the YOC program and what makes it so successful at SSCC and around the nation.
When asked what makes YOC such a successful endeavor for South Shore, Riley pointed to the club’s struggle for tee time availability for juniors. With golf exploding in popularity in 2020, they were getting calls about lack of availability for kids with junior permits. According to Riley, “We put that energy towards Youth on Course, and we’ve found so much success in it, it’s a no brainer to tell them ‘Why don’t you just sign up for YOC?’ Parameters are the exact same, and you’re saving a boatload of money.”
On the topic of why he would recommend YOC for young golfers, Riley simply said “The price per round is down significantly – $5 greens fee vs $25” (in the case of South Shore). “Kids get the same access to the golf course they had, but they have a reduced rate; they end up paying significantly less.”
As for why he’d recommend the program from a course operations perspective, Riley mentions the presence of new players, as well as investing in the future of golf: “There are kids that come from here and there, new players we haven’t seen before! The kids that Youth on Course is targeting are kids you’ll be targeting someday for adult memberships. It’s easier for families to afford $5 greens fees; we’re trying to grow the game.”
Indeed, Youth on Course is all about providing opportunities and exposing the game of golf to as many aspiring young players as possible. Thanks to the work of participating courses, we can do just that!
For more information, contact Kyle Sherman, Manager of Member Events & Services, at 774-430-9014 or via e-mail at ksherman@massgolf.org
