With over 5 million golfers and 3,600 courses in Canada, the game of golf is growing at an unparalleled rate. Nowhere is this more evident than in the junior ranks. Boys and girls 18 and under are taking up the game in record numbers. Here in Manitoba, the Manitoba Golf Association reports that the participation in junior golf has reached record levels. More and more events are catering to the junior golfer, and leading the way is the Optimist Junior Golf Program.

The Manitoba Optimist Junior Golf Championship

While the annual Manitoba Optimist Junior Open Golf Championship attracts major attention, it is just one of several tournaments of golf sponsored each year by the Optimist International Organization.

The 2010 edition of the Junior Open event is scheduled for June 26th and 27th at the Larters at St. Andrews Golf and Country Club and The Meadows at East St. Paul (both days).

Mission Statement of the Optimist Junior Golf Program
The Optimist Junior Golf Program's mission is to build positive values in young people through the participation in Optimist District and International junior golf events.

Program Description
The Optimist Junior Golf Program mission is an exciting way for volunteers to promote the sport of golf to the young people of their communities. Each year, more than 5000 boys and girls compete in Optimist Qualifying Tournaments. The best of these golfers advance to the annual Optimist International Junior Golf Championships which offers a week of golf, the opportunity to meet new friends, competition and a great deal of fun.

The 2009 Tournament sent 16-18 Boys Division Winner Taylor Reilly to Florida to play against some of the best world junior golfers down in Florida. But a huge thanks to all participants for providing a great 2 day event and some fantastic golf.

We awarded golf gift certificates to 9 players, top three of each division along with one all-expense paid trip to Florida.

The National Events in Ontario and the International Competition in Florida are the headline events for Optimist International as the organization follows its motto: Friends of Youth. Since 1919, Optimist volunteers have been the ultimate "Friend of Youth." Through service projects aimed at "Bringing Out the Best in Kids," Optimists spread their positive message to young people community by community. By believing in young people and empowering them to be the best they can, Optimists make this world a better place to live.

There are 114,000 individual members who belong to 3,500 autonomous Clubs. These Optimists serve six million young people each year. The volunteers conduct 65,000 service projects and spend $78 million on their communities annually.

The Optimist International Junior Golf Championship

The year 2010 marks the 43rd year that Optimist International has worked with and promoted junior golf throughout North America. While the Optimists are involved in a variety of events over the course of the year, the highlight is unquestionably the annual Optimist International Junior Golf Championship, held at the PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA, July 22rd to August 1st, 2010. (Ages 10-15: July 22 to July 27; Ages 16-18: July 27 to August 1.)

A World Class Event

Many of today's top PGA and LPGA stars have participated in the Optimist International Junior Golf Championship. Former participants of the Optimist International sponsored tournaments have been a springboard to many professional golfers of the PGA and LPGA tour’s. Some past participants include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, John Daly, Ernie Els, Nick Price, Davis Love III, Justin Leonard, Corey Pavin, Rick Fehr, Craig Stadler, Heather Farr, Michelle McGann and Nancy Lopez.

Mission Statement of the Optimist Junior Golf Program
The Optimist Junior Golf Program's mission is to build positive values in young people through participation in Optimist District and International junior golf events.

Vision Statement of the Optimist Junior Golf Program
Optimist Junior Golf will be recognized as one of the largest and most prestigious junior golf programs in the world.

Objectives of the Optimist Junior Golf Program

• To promote the sport of golf among young people.
• To provide an opportunity for junior golfers to participate in Optimist Club, District and International Tournaments.
• To share the philosophies of Optimism with the junior golf community.

The international event teaches youth the importance of discipline, control and manners. This brings together upwards of 650 young people from various parts of the world, allowing them to appreciate multicultural diversity and build lasting friendships as they compete against other top players in their own age group.

Canadian Optimist Junior Golf National Championships

Held at the Ingersoll Golf and Country Club in Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada, the 20th Annual Canadian Optimist Junior Golf Championship (COJGC) will take place August 9th to 11th, 2010. A field of 200 juniors is expected to compete in 6 different age divisions, four for the boys and two for the girls.

Our Corporate Partners

The Manitoba Optimist Junior Golf Championship owes much of its success to the support it has received from the corporate community. We are fortunate that many corporations recognize the value of supporting Manitoba youth. We look forward to the corporate community's continued involvement in helping the Manitoba Optimist Junior Golf Championship to continue helping young Manitoba golfers.

The Optimist organization is a non-profit group comprised of some 114,000 members, both men and women, belonging to more than 3,500 clubs around the world. The Optimist slogan, friends of youth, very simply and accurately captures the character of the organization, which was founded June 19, 1919.

The Optimist International Junior Golf Championship is just one of the 65,000 service projects endorsed and supported by the Optimists. Many of these programs and events would not be possible without the generosity of businesses and individuals within our community. 78 Million dollars are spent annually on our community service projects.

We invite you to join our team and become a "friend of