WASHINGTON, D.C., May 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Babygrande Golf has partnered with the American Junior Golf Association to title sponsor a new 2023 open tournament on the schedule. The Babygrande D.C. Classic will be contested at East Potomac Golf Links July 10th through 13th.
The Babygrande D.C. Classic, along with the support of National Links Trust, will bring together 78 of the top male and female junior golfers from around the country to the nation’s capital for the next three years.
The 2023 Babygrande D.C. Classic runs July 10th through 13th at East Potomac Golf Links in Washington D.C. The event begins with the Junior-Am Fundraising Tournament on Monday, July 10th. The AJGA’s Junior-Am is modeled after the PGA TOUR’s Pro-Am in which a junior is paired with three amateurs to raise funds for National Links Trust and the AJGA’s Foundation. The event continues with the official practice round the same day and concludes with the competitive tournament rounds on the 11th through 13th.
“Babygrande Golf is proud to be the title sponsor of this inaugural event. I grew up playing competitive golf throughout the DMV area including all three of the D.C. public golf courses and they are special and historic landmarks of the game where access and inclusion are supported and encouraged. Appreciation for the value and history these courses bring to the next generation is important for the sport’s longevity and evolution,” says Chuck Wilson, CEO and Chairman, Babygrande Global, Inc.
East Potomac Golf Links is part of the National Links Trust network of three municipal golf courses in the greater Washington, D.C. area. National Links Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit who is dedicated to positively impact local communities across the United States by protecting and promoting accessible, affordable, and engaging municipal golf courses, including project work underway in Washington, D.C.
“National Links Trust wholeheartedly believes that the heartbeat of the game lies in municipal golf so bringing the premier junior golf organization to one of these facilities in our nation’s capital, helps to showcase this. We are extremely excited to show off East Potomac and its history to tournament participants and to partner with an organization like the AJGA who shares in our vision of equity and access to the game that we all love,” adds Damian Cosby, Executive Director of National Links Trust.
Also, as part of the event, local college golf coaches will conduct a college coaching question and answer session for parents and players in the field. This time will afford all players the chance to learn more about the recruiting process and golf after their junior career. AJGA college golf advisor, Rich Brazeau of Second Nine Consulting, will also be available at the event as a resource for the juniors.
The AJGA’s First Tee Shadow Program will also be a part of the event. The shadow program allows young First Tee members to see the ‘other side’ of the golf industry and engage in the business of golf alongside the AJGA staff.
The AJGA is looking for local supporters to help increase the charitable impact associated with the Babygrande D.C. Classic. If you are interested, please contact Senior Northeast Regional Director, Patrick Plank at pplank@ajga.org.
We encourage the Washington, D.C. community to volunteer at the Babygrande D.C. Classic. If you are interested in supporting the AJGA through volunteering, please contact Tournament Director Thomas Harrison at tharrison@ajga.org.
For more information about the Babygrande D.C. Classic visit ajga.org or check out the AJGA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Babygrande Golf
Babygrande Golf was founded to support the worldwide growth and development of junior/amateur golf. It was launched in 2022 as a subsidiary of Babygrande Global, Inc., an American diversified corporation based in New York with holdings in the music, film, sports, craft beer, media, and supercar industries. Since launch, Babygrande Golf has sponsored and produced content related to several high visibility junior tournaments such as the AJGA Golf Performance Center Junior at Salem Golf Club in Westchester, New York, The Mack Champ Invitational in Houston, Texas, and the forthcoming Three Little Birds Memorial AJGA Open at the Piedmont Club in Haymarket, Virginia. The Babygrande D.C. Classic is the first junior tournament title sponsored by the company, with plans to expand into multiple cities around the world.
The National Links Trust is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to positively impacting local communities across the United States by protecting and promoting accessible, affordable, and engaging municipal golf courses. Under a 50-year lease with the National Park Service, NLT manages Washington, D.C.’s three historic, publicly accessible golf properties: Rock Creek Park Golf, Langston Golf Course, and East Potomac Golf Links. They are currently working towards the rehabilitation of all three properties in partnership with three of golf’s most prominent architects: Gil Hanse, Beau Welling, and Tom Doak. In addition to this, NLT is committed to positively impacting the local Washington, D.C., community through initiatives like the Jack Vardaman Workforce Development Program. Nationally, NLT aims to be a leader in the municipal golf space by connecting key stakeholders and sharing best practices. Founded by Michael McCartin and Will Smith, both experienced golf course designers and Washington, D.C., natives, NLT is funded by private donors and governed and supported by a team of business and civic leaders from the DC area and beyond.
For more information about National Links Trust, visit NationalLinksTrust.org and follow us on Instagram at @NationalLinksTrust and Twitter at @links_national.
