WESTFIELD CENTER — Golf can be a tough game to get into, especially given the high price of clubs.
The Northern Ohio PGA knows about these economic barriers and has a plan to get kids interested in the game to take a swing.
For the sixth consecutive year, the Northern Ohio PGA will host its Clubs Fore Kids program, donating clubs to local high schools and players to help them enter the game.
NOPGA president David Griffith said Clubs Fore Kids has helped golf grow in the area.
“We’re excited that were going to send out 132 sets of clubs this year,” Griffith said. “That will take our total to more than 450 sets over the last six years. We’re just really excited to help these 22 school districts and help grow the game.”
This year’s recipients include schools from Fremont Ross to McDonald, as well as several from the Akron City Series.
Griffith said the NOPGA knows the financial barriers to getting some kids into golf are significant, noting the club sets each cost $350 to $450.
“We’re trying to reduce those barriers and get them in the hands who have shown interest in the game,” Griffith said.
Area high school golf coaches work on putting using special instructional tools designed to enhance their coaching during the Clubs Fore Kids event May 13, 2026, at Westfield Country Club, in Westfield Center.
Northwest girls golf coach Laura Traganza said her program has benefited from Clubs Fore Kids.
“They have graciously donated two sets of clubs to my middle school team and my high school team,” Traganza said. “That enabled more players to participate in the game. It does come with a huge financial barrier for most students, because you have to get your own equipment, uniforms and lessons. Having the PGA cover the equipment is a big thing.”
Danielle Monas, foundation director for NOPGA, said just getting the clubs to high school students is not enough. She said the golf programs that applied for the clubs needed to show commitment to the game.
Peyton Hodovan, a Northwest High School 10th grader, in red, along with Kensington Blowers, a 6th-grader, hit balls on the driving range during the Clubs Fore Kids event May 13, 2026, at Westfield Country Club, in Westfield Center.
“We had an application process,” Monas said. “We’ve got a couple schools that are trying to resurrect programs or need help to run the program. We also wanted to see how much work coaches were trying to put in. We know that giving sets of clubs is one thing, but we need to have coaches who are able to help the kids.”
To assist with that, the NOPGA hosted a coach certification day May 13 at Westfield Country Club. Monas said they wanted to help coaches, some of whom do not play golf, help their players.
“I’ve seen a lot of coaches who have basically been chauffeurs and they really haven’t been able to help the players,” Monas said. “We need to be able to help coaches help the players, or at least find ways to aid them.”
John DiDonato was among the coaches at the the certification day. He is working to revive the girls golf program at Ellet.
“It’s been pretty difficult to get it going,” DiDonato said. “We’re just trying to expose the girls to it. [Getting the clubs] is going to help a tremendous amount, as a lot of our student-athletes can’t afford them.”
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Young golfers aided with new clubs by Clubs Fore Kids program in Ohio