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Golf & Money: How To Join A Private Club

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We asked more than 200 private-club members about the basics they wish they had known before signing up. Our Q&A tells what YOU should know before the bill arrives

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Welcome to Kansas City's newest hidden gem! Come and enjoy the greens right here in the inner city. This is an experience you'll be sure to remember! Harris Park is an organization dedicated to introducing and keeping urban children interested in outdoor sports such as basketball, volleyball, and golf.

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The stereotypical view of golf is that it's too expensive for most people to play.

I've invested heavily into trying to get my son and daughter to play. First, I tried equipment from S.N.A.G. (Starting New At Golf). Hitting oversized balls with clubs to colorful targets provided a few moments of backyard fun, but that was about it. I put my son in a local junior summer camp a couple years ago. I even ordered a pink "Hello Kitty" set for my daughter, who adored the look but never used them once.

All of this got me thinking: How much does it actually cost to get a beginner into the game? It's actually not all that expensive to start out. Once you really dive into the game -- custom-fitted clubs, video lessons, fancy resort courses, Pro-V1s -- that's another story.

Once upon a time, the best way to get a youngster into golf was to become a caddie. But golf carts have made that job all but obsolete, unless you belong or have connections to the fanciest of private clubs.

I reached out to three major golf organizations -- the United States Golf Association, the PGA of America and the National Golf Foundation -- to see if they had any research or statistics on the costs associated with being a beginning golfer. None did, so here goes, an unscientific look at the cost of getting started in the game:

Youth sets aren't all that expensive. A simple Google search brought up options ranging from a top-of-the-line Callaway set for $249, a less expensive Wilson junior set for $129 or the generic factory-made set found at any sporting goods store for $72. By comparison, my son's latest, top-of-the-line baseball glove cost $250. A new high-end bat would cost more than $200.

U.S. Kids Golf offers sets for children of all ages and sizes. Parents can trade the clubs in for bigger ones as their children grow. For true beginners, it offers the new Yard Club, which has an oversized head and can hit real or limited-flight golf balls.

"I don't think equipment is going to be a prohibitive (to starting at golf)," says John Kim, the senior director of communications & media at U.S. Kids Golf. "It is not just a sport for millionaires. It is a game that we all (golf equipment companies) make as inclusive and inviting as possible, especially for kids."

A decent adult set bought at retail will cost at least double, probably $500 at a minimum and a bag will be a separate cost of $100 or more, unless you want to cobble together used stuff from a garage sale or online site such as Ebay, www.3balls.com or a manufacturer's site (www.taylormadegolfpreowned.com or www.callawaygolfpreowned.com).

Next comes the accessories -- a glove (buy a pair for $20 and up), a couple dozen balls ($40-$50 for low-cost brands), tees (free to grab a handful at most courses) and a towel ($15). You can probably live without golf shoes for the first year, but I've found that muddy or wet conditions can destroy a pair of normal tennis shoes, so investing in shoes isn't a bad idea. Another search for junior shoes dug up prices ranging from $35 (FootJoy), $40 (adidas), $45 (Puma), $50-$60 (Nike) up to $70 (high-end FootJoys). It's safe to assume most everybody (even children) already have a polo shirt or two, a couple pair of shorts and a hat good enough for the local junior or beginner friendly facility. Just in case, let's build in $50 for a fashion upgrade.

Total Estimated Cost: $232-$454 for juniors and $750-and-up for an adult.

, a program launched by the PGA of America that offers a package of five lessons for $99, is perfect for adults new to the game. There's no equipment needed. By the time five lessons are up, you should know the basics -- grip, warm-up, full swing, golf terms, etiquette, putting, chipping, driving and more. It's not made for children, however.

Young players will probably respond better by being around peers learning the game. You can try individual lessons right out of the gate (www.uskidsgolf.com has a search engine used to locate certified coaches in your zip code), but an afterschool youth clinic or summer day camp probably makes more sense. Children can learn from watching others their age in a more playful setting. Two summers ago, my son participated in a junior camp at the Santa Teresa Golf Club, a municipal course with a terrific youth program less than a mile from our house in San Jose, Calif. The camps, dedicated to ages 6-17, run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, ranging in cost from $295-$595. Since this is Silicon Valley, I'm guessing people in most other parts of the country can find prices closer to $200-$400 for similar experiences.

The Golf Channel Academy (GCA) has teamed with US Sports Camps, Inc., the nation's largest operator of junior sports camps, to bring GCA-branded junior camps to a limited number of markets this summer, with plans to expand nationwide in 2018 and 2019. The first four markets are with Cindy and Allen Miller in Buffalo, N.Y.; Kelley Brooke in New York City, Staten Island & Brooklyn, N.Y.; Kirk Jones at Windsor Parke G.C. in Jacksonville, Fla.; and the Kendall Academy of Golf at Miles of Golf, a superstore in Ypsilanti, Mich. For more about the GCA-branded summer junior camps, including dates and prices, go to .

The First Tee program -- which has grown to 165 chapters, offering programs at 1,200 locations, 9,000-plus elementary schools (in-school as part of physical education) and just launched a new after-school program delivered in partnership with other youth-serving organizations in more than 1,000 locations -- is even more affordable than a local camp. Since its inception in 1997 through 2016, more than 14 million young people have participated in The First Tee. For example, The First Tee of Silicon Valley charges $120 for a full season of classes, where students learn about The First Tee Nine Core Values, the 27 Core Life Lessons and 10 Golf Skills. Again, that rate is probably cheaper elsewhere in America.

Another option is finding a TGA Premier program through a local school. TGA's franchises have now grown to 62 markets across the nation serving more than 3,300 schools and introducing more than 650,000 youth (ages 5-13) to the game. Visit to find a franchise near you.

If you want to continue lessons beyond what's listed above, obviously, costs will grow, but doing any of these programs should get a beginner headed in the right direction.

Total Estimated Cost: $99 for adults and $100-$500 for juniors.

Here, again, is where costs vary greatly. I'm pretty luck to live within walking distance of that municipal golf course with not only an affordable 18-hole course, but a nine-hole par-3 course that's a good incubator for beginners. The par-3 course, also used for FootGolf, features holes 140 yards or less with several ponds in play. Beginners learn quickly where to miss or they're reaching for a new ball.

Santa Teresa participates in the "Youth On Course" program with extra benefits. For $60 a year, YOC members who purchase the membership at the club get discounts on range balls; free entry into instructional clinics and youth tournaments; and $5 green fees on weekdays for the short course and the big course in the afternoon an hour before twilight. The Youth On Course program, started by the Northern California Golf Association, has expanded to hundreds of courses in 14 states, offering nearly 20,000 kids, ages 6-18, rounds of golf for just $5. If you can't find a YOC course near you, the next best bet is to play and practice at a municipal facility or a short course where beginners can gain confidence. Let's say you play nine holes per week with your child at $50 per round for the both of you, that pace will add up to $200 a month and roughly $2,500 per year.

Total Estimated Cost: $500-$2,500, depending upon how much you play, whether you take a cart and where you play.

You would think it would always be more affordable for a junior to take up the game than an adult, but the Get Golf Ready classes really give adults some savings. The industry is really pushing growing the game, so it's working hard on the next generation of country club members by creating more opportunities for junior golfers. New events such as the "Drive, Chip & Putt" Championship and the PGA Junior League are joining The First Tee to get kids hooked on the sport.

Results are starting to show. The number of junior golfers (ages 6-17) in America has increased by 25 percent, from 2.4 million in 2011 to 3 million in 2015, according to the NGF. This is the largest jump in total volume compared to other youth sports, including soccer, basketball, football and baseball, based on statistics from the Sports Fitness Industry Association and NGF. Affordability has to be part of that equation.

By my estimates, the first year in the game can cost anywhere from $832 to $3,454 for juniors and $1,849 to $3,349 for adults. Those numbers are probably inflated since most places in the country can't play year-round. Most adults don't have the time to tee it up once a week, even if they could (either by themselves or with a child new to the game). Most new golfers could probably get away with spending less money than a grand and still have a positive introduction to the game, a game that could ultimately provide a lifetime of exercise, entertainment and friendships if done right.

To put this all in perspective, it costs me more than $2,500 per child per year for my son to play travel baseball and my daughter to play club and travel lacrosse. With two Youth on Course memberships, my children could play all the golf they wanted for much less money.

Isn't it time to stick that first tee in the ground?

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How much money does it cost to introduce a beginner to golf?

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The game of golf can be as expensive as you want it to be. If you're a beginner, you don't have to go broke getting a bag and swing. Here are some tips on saving money gearing up for golf.

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Black History in Golf, a story

*With the week of the Masters' Golf Tournament underway, Black history in American golf is remembered on this date. Beginning with Reconstruction, African Americans and golf have a rich history. Golf history also shows that Dr. George F. Grant of Boston invented the wooden golf tee in 1899 and had the good sense to take out a patent on it. Grant never marketed his invention and never earned a penny from his intellect. The basic model of his golf tee is still used today.

In the 20th and 21st centuries, the name Tiger Woods is recognizable, and rightfully so. He is today's main man of golf worldwide, and he's Black. Yet nearly 150 years ago, in the late 1800s, Black golfers played the game very well after the American Civil War. The United Golfers Association (UGA) was a group of African American professional golfers who operated a separate series of professional golf tournaments for Blacks amid racial segregation in the United States. It was said to have started in 1925 when George Adams became a founding member and in 1926 by Robert Hawkins, a golfer from Massachusetts.

Some, like Charlie Sifford and Lee Elder, went on to stellar careers and became well-known. But many others, such as Teddy Rhodes, James Black, Bill Spiller, Nathaniel Starks, and Joe Roach, never got that opportunity. In those days, the Professional Golf Association of America (PGA) fought hard and, until 1961, successfully maintained its all-white status. Black golfers (then) created their organization of touring professionals, even if it meant playing in less than comparable settings. Tampa, Florida was one stop on their tour; Miami was another. The Miami competition, called the North-South Tournament, was played in Miami Springs and was considered one of the best organized on the circuit.

John M. Shippen Jr., an African American laborer who helped construct New York's Shinnecock Hills course, managed in 1896 to enter and play in the Second U.S. Open Championship, which was held at the Shinnecock Hills. Shippen finished in fifth place, seven strokes off the winning pace. African Americans' involvement in golf has included some who held administrative positions and others, like Joe Bartholomew of New Orleans, who built courses themselves. Bartholomew's white friends were so impressed with his skills as a greenskeeper that they sponsored him in architect school in New York, yet the New Orleans society refused to allow Bartholomew to play on the very course that he designed.

Other histories of Black golfers range from the sheer anger (over racism) of Bill Spiller to the non-confrontational Teddy Rhodes, arguably the best Black golfer ever, before Tiger Woods. Spiller, a supremely talented golfer from California, refused to accept the "go-along-to-get-along" style many Blacks used to survive white hostility and racist laws. On the other hand, Rhodes preferred to let his clubs speak for him. On a later summer day in 1925, a group of African Americans interested in solidarity for minority golfers met in the 12th Street Branch of Washington (D.C.) YMCA.

The official press release defined their purpose: "The object of the national organization is to gather all colored golfers and golf associations into one body." The Colored Golfers Association of America or the United States Colored Golfers Association (the original name has been disputed over the years) was born from that meeting. To launch their new organization, the UGA sponsored the first National Colored Golf Championship at the Shady Rest Golf Club in Westfield, N.J., over the Fourth of July weekend of that year. A large gallery was treated to a final-round duel between an aging Shippen, still competitive well into his 50s, and a youngster named Harry Jackson. Jackson had posted a 72-hole 299 to beat Shippen by three shots and earn the youngster $25 and instant fame.

The UGA was off and running. On Labor Day weekend, 1926, professional golfers from all over the country gathered at the Mapledale Country Club in Stow, Massachusetts, to compete for a national title. The purse was $100 for the champion, and the course was a simple nine-hole layout. As it came to be known, the National quickly established itself as the major event for African American golfers. The tournament was a proving ground for gifted minorities and a place where Black golfers came together in a show of strength and harmony in a segregated America.

Many Blacks had learned the game of golf as caddies. It was the only way they could play on private and public courses. Estimates show fewer than 5,000 golf facilities in the United States in 1939; fewer than 20 were open to Black players. The nation celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1976 at Torrey Pines in San Diego. Segregation had long since ended, but tournament director Tim Thomas remembers arriving at Torrey Pines and being told that the tournament would have to be canceled because the course couldn't accommodate many players.

Women participated in the history of the game too. Over time, stars like Marie Thompson, Lucy Williams, Geneva Wilson, Ann Gregory, Thelma Cowans, Ethel (Powers) Funches, Althea Gibson, and Renee Powell played. In 1939 the Wake-Robin Golf Club started its first president Helen Webb Harris.

The Tourney went on without a problem, and everyone who played thought the 1976 event was one of the last. The UGA didn't have enough money to run another professional competition, and by the mid-1980s, with UGA membership on the decline, the National just faded away. Once Black golfers had access to courses, once the PGA opened its tournaments, the need for separate events became a thing of the past. With the assent of Tiger Woods and his golf game comes an increased interest and participation from young minorities in the game. He envisions this impacting in the next ten years as they come of age and develop physically.
To become a Professional Athlete.

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With the week of the Masters' Golf Tournament underway, Black history in American golf is remembered on this date. Beginning with Reconstruction, African Americans and golf have a rich history. Golf history also shows that Dr. George F. Grant of Boston invented the wooden golf tee in 1899 and had the good sense to take out a patent on it.

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Not that is should matter one jot, but the fact that there is presently just one openly gay male professional tournament golfer out of 1,000-plus men plying their particular sporting trade around the world, whilst evidence-based statistics would suggest that very many more homosexual men are remaining in the clubhouse closet. And while, in the women's professional game, there are enough openly lesbian players as to no longer be worthy of mention, why, as we enter 2020, do gay male golfers feel unable to come out and be who, and what, they truly are?
According to Dr. Alfred Kinsey's 'Sexual Behavior in the Human Male,' first published in 1948 and his follow-up five-years-later, Sexual Behavior in the Human Female,' a staggering 37% of post-adolescent men and 13% of women in the USA had indulged in homosexual activity.

More recent research, in particular, David Spiegelhalter, in his book 'Sex By Numbers,' concluded that Kinsey's numerical predictions were on the high side; the author concluded that, across the sexes, some 10% of the adult population is, 'Predominately gay,' thought to be more prevalent amongst men at 14% than 5% of women.

'Interesting societal research and an insight into the human condition,' I hear you say, but asking, 'What the hell has any of this got to do with golf?'

Back in September 2018, Hawaiian-born Tadd Fujikawa, who in 2007 became the second-youngest player to make the cut at a PGA Tour event, came out as openly gay understood to be the first male professional golfer to do so.

"I can't wait for the day we all can live without feeling like we're different and excluded," he said in an emotional post at the time on Instagram.

His thoughts and most personal emotions were, and remain, not only unique but also insightful and intuitive.

"I've been back and forth for a while about opening up about my sexuality," Fujikawa, now 28 and down amongst the dead men of the OWGR, continued in his post, "I thought that I didn't need to come out because it doesn't matter if anyone knows, but I remember how much other's stories have helped me in my darkest times to have hope.

"I spent way too long pretending, hiding, and hating who I was, I was always afraid of what others would think [or] say, I've struggled with my mental health for many years because of that and it put me in a really bad place," he continued.

"Now I'm standing up for myself and the rest of the LGBTQ community in hopes of being an inspiration and making a difference in someone's life."

View this post on Instagram

*PLEASE READ* Coincidentally, today is world suicide prevention day. However, I was going to share this regardless. So...I'm gay. Many of you may have already known that.😅 I don't expect everyone to understand or accept me. But please be gracious enough to not push your beliefs on me or anyone in the LGBTQ community. My hope is this post will inspire each and every one of you to be more empathetic and loving towards one another. I've been back and forth for a while about opening up about my sexuality. I thought that I didn't need to come out because it doesn't matter if anyone knows. But I remember how much other's stories have helped me in my darkest times to have hope. I spent way too long pretending, hiding, and hating who I was. I was always afraid of what others would think/say. I've struggled with my mental health for many years because of that and it put me in a really bad place. Now I'm standing up for myself and the rest of the LGBTQ community in hopes of being an inspiration and making a difference in someone's life. Although it's a lot more accepted in our society today, we still see children, teens, and adults being ridiculed and discriminated against for being the way we are. Some have even taken their lives because of it. As long as those things are still happening, I will continue to do my best to bring more awareness to this issue and to fight for equality. Whether the LGBTQ is what you support or not, we must liberate and encourage each other to be our best selves, whatever that may be. It's the only way we can make this world a better place for future generations. I don't want this to be focused on me. I just want to spread love and acceptance to others who are in a similar situation. If anyone out there is struggling, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. YOU ARE LOVED AND YOU ARE ENOUGH...AS IS, EXACTLY AS YOU ARE!❤️ I can't wait for the day we all can live without feeling like we're different and excluded. A time where we don't have to come out, we can love the way we want to love and not be ashamed. We are all human and equal after all. So I dare you...spread love. Let's do our part to make this world a better place.🏳️‍🌈❤️💛💚💙💜
A post shared by Tadd Fujikawa (@taddy808) on

Tadd Fujikawa's story, personally and socially courageous though it undoubtedly is, really only matters in two respects.

First, in this, the first quarter of the 21st century, the vast majority of right-minded, well-meaning people could not care less about his, or indeed anyone else's sexual orientation, their default response being either, 'Well done,' or, 'So what.'

And, for that matter, providing they are legal, any other aspects of their private, personal lives are of equally little interest and no concern to anyone other than the person themselves, their friends and families.

But second, and much more importantly, why, more than 12-months-later, does Tadd Fujikawa remain the only male professional tournament golfer to openly identify as gay?

Given there are at least 1,000 men currently plying their trade in professional tournament golf around the world, and taking even the most conservative of estimates of the prevalence of homosexuality amongst adult men, it would not be unreasonable to assume that up to 100 gay male golfers remain. 'In the closet,' and living with the same emotional challenges and anxieties experienced by Tadd Fujikawa.

Meanwhile, in other sports, openly gay athletes, if not freely abound, then are certainly more run-of-the-mill than in golf.

In 2009, Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas, at that time a married man with children came out; in tennis, global superstar Martina Navratilova openly declared herself to be, 'Gay,' long before it was socially acceptable.

US soccer world cup star Megan Rapinoe is not only openly lesbian, but also a champion for LGBT causes, whilst, even in those 'conservative' American leagues, the NBA, NFL and MLB, a slow drip-drip of gay male players have emerged.

Even male-dominated 'Macho' sports such as boxing, wrestling, weightlifting and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) have had prominent athletes, male and female, confirm publicly that they are gay, so why is golf so reticent?

One leading European Tour player, who did not wish to be identified said, "In theory, coming out would be a big decision for a tournament professional, who might feel compromised by the reaction of fans, sponsors, the media and even fellow professionals, whereas, in reality, after a very short time, people would say, 'So what,' and hell would not have frozen over.

"But golf is still a very socially conservative sport, with strong religious connotations in the USA, which could be a consideration for any gay player considering coming out."

For their part, golf's governing bodies talk the talk when it comes to delicate issues of inclusivity and sexuality, but fail to walk the walk, well-crafted, warm bland words, but little or no action.

When asked how many gay golfers were members of the European Tour, a spokesman said, "Personally, I don't know of any," before issuing a statement saying, "The European Tour is 'Driving Golf Further' through our guiding principles of being innovative, inclusive and global.

"We are passionate about a closer collaboration with the women's game, disability golf and promoting the health benefits of playing golf [and] we are committed to include all who share a love for our sport."

Meanwhile, an R&A spokesman commented, "It is our view that golf should be open and inclusive to all who wish to participate in the sport."

Some gay players though are more open, courageous and forthright than the ultra-cautious organisations that represent them.

Six-time Ladies European Tour and Solheim Cup star Mel Reid, now a regular on the LPGA Tour came out in 2018, in an interview with Athlete Ally, a US-based LGBT advocacy group.

"It's a serious subject," Reid said, adding, "People kill themselves over it. I just wanted to say, 'Look, this is who I am. I'm very proud of who I am.' I feel like it's 2019 and it should be normalized. It doesn't make me a bad person just because of the gender of who I love."

And PGA of America professional Greg Fitzgerald believes society in general and sport in particular, even the game of golf, are becoming ever-more socially-liberal in their outlook.

Speaking earlier this year to Outsports, an LGBT sports website, he said, "Society has changed a great deal over the last 30 years regarding the LGBTQ community and the sports industry has been coming along slowly but surely.

"Golf is now ready to make a shift in its acceptance and promotion of LGBTQ community," he continued, adding, "I think even on the PGA TOUR, the atmosphere is approaching a point where a high-level player could come out of the closet.

"The reason that that hasn't happened yet is that golf and its facilities have traditionally been the epitome of a male, conservative, 'Old boys club,' type environment."

Intriguingly, of the estimated 65m - 70m golfers playing recreational golf around the world, between 6m to 10m of them will be homosexual, and, apart from their families and friends, who cares?

Why then, when it comes to the professional game, where the same demographic statistics on sexual orientation must surely apply, has only one, relatively obscure PGA TOUR professional and several more LPGA Tour players have had the courage to come out and explain who, and what they really are?

The game of golf, one suspects, remains mired in Victorian, conservative outlooks and opinions, but the quicker it catches-up and embraces 21st-century values and attitudes, the healthier and more inclusive the royal and ancient game may become.
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Not that is should matter one jot, but the fact that there is presently just one openly gay male professional tournament golfer out of 1,000-plus men plying their particular sporting trade around the world, whilst evidence-based statistics would suggest that very many more homosexual men are remaining in the clubhouse closet.

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We are a unique, non-profit golf association, for people of color. Our members enjoy a wide variety of member services and golfer discounts throughout the US. MGA provides members with valuable resources, giving you the opportunity to heighten your golfing experience.

Minority Golf Association is the one and only home to all golfers of color. In this all inclusive site we provide equipment reviews, golf tips, golf fitness, golf travel, course rankings, and rules and etiquette articles.

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JOIN THE #1 GOLF ASSOCIATION FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR Read More THE GREATEST 19TH HOLE ON EARTH Read More We are a unique, non-profit golf association, for people of color. Our members enjoy a wide variety of member services and golfer discounts throughout the US.

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bill spiller the man who broke golfs color barrier

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Bill Spiller: The man who broke golf's color barrier

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Tulsa's Bill Spiller was the force to end segregation on the PGA Tour.

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"Sometimes negatives become positives. So, he actually planted the seed in my head about becoming a professional because I wasn't thinking about becoming a professional. And so, it was a sort of a backward influence."

Raised in Cleveland, Ohio and Buffalo, New York, golf was never on Castillo's radar. The second of three children with an older and younger brother, she spent her youth playing the sports her siblings did - mostly football, baseball and tennis - games that were easy to just walk outside and pick up. Plus, there wasn't a golf course near where she lived, making the game even less accessible for the "city kids" in her urban community.

Her first interaction with golf came when her husband invited her along with him to the range to hit some balls just after their second child was born. After he was through with his practice, there were about ten balls left in the bucket and he suggested Oneda try to hit a few to see if she liked it. Unsurprisingly, it was love at first swing for the lifelong competitor.

Castillo was hooked, diving headfirst into the game, signing herself and her kids up for lessons and helping out at the junior clinics her children attended, keen on learning as much as she could about the sport that always seemed out of reach. Golf became her passion, allowing her to get out and do something for herself while also spending time with her family. But Oneda's newfound hobby would develop into so much more than she could've predicted when her engaging instruction style caught the eye of local teaching professionals.

"I really loved (golf) because I had grown up with brothers and played all the sports growing up as a kid, except golf of course," Castillo said. "And then when I did get introduced to the game, I loved it so much because it gave me the opportunity to go outside and play again, which was something that I did growing up, but once you become a mom and you're an adult, you got a family, got a job. There's all this stuff going on.

"Bringing my daughter to (junior) clinics, I would be that parent who was there to help, and I enjoyed doing that with the kids. I had several professionals tell me that I was good at teaching with the juniors in particular. We did that at the Metroparks in Cleveland, Ohio, and then when I came to Atlanta, Georgia, I did the same thing volunteering to help with junior clinics. And that's where I worked with William Lewis, a wonderful PGA professional here in Atlanta. He told me that I was good at teaching and that I should join the LPGA."

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Oneda Castillo Creating New Narrative for Black Women in Golf | LPGA | Ladies Professional Golf Association

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"Sometimes negatives become positives. So, he actually planted the seed in my head about becoming a professional because I wasn't thinking about becoming a professional. And so, it was a sort of a backward influence." Raised in Cleveland, Ohio and Buffalo, New York, golf was never on Castillo's radar.

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PHOENIX - Phoenix native Andre Magdelano doesn't play golf and has never been invited to play the sport.

"It's elitist, judgmental, white collar and rich," Magdelano, 51 said. "It's a sub-culture that has it's own fashion, rules and history. None of that is part of the minority experience."

Magledano's experience and views echo that of many Latinos, who are underrepresented in the sport. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 16.0 percent of the U.S. population was Latino as of 2010. However, just 11.7 percent of golfers were Latino, according to a 2010 study of minorities by the National Golf Foundation.

"I think perception is the No. 1 cause of minorities not getting into it," said Chris Montgomery, director of communications for the Arizona Golf Association. "It's perception of cost. The perceived value of cost and image is prohibitive."

This starts in Latin America, where most courses are private and off limits, according to Alzucena Maldonado, founder of the Latina Golfer's Association. This isn't the case at Turquoise Valley Golf Club in Naco, a stone's throw away from the border between Mexico and the United States. It is open to the public.

Founded in 1908, it's the oldest course in Arizona and is in a majority Latino community. According to course general manager Bob Barnes, 70 percent of workers at the course are Latino, including some who cross the border everyday.

Barnes has priced a round of golf according to the community where the course resides, at $27 to $37 based on weekday or weekend, but admits it's still not affordable for Latinos who don't have well-paying jobs.

"Anyone who has a good income base tends to play here," Barnes said. "Most Latinos who can play golf work and most Latinos who do play golf here are people who have an income which can support that and therefore they tend to be the managers, the doctors, the lawyers, the workers at the mine."

While Barnes' course caters more toward the casual golfer, if a Latino golfer wants to become elite, they have to pay more money and play on higher level courses than what Barnes is offering.

Such is the case with Desert Edge High junior Aaron Ramos, who won the individual Arizona Division II state championship in 2015 after finishing tied for sixth as a sophomore.

He picked up the game from his father, David Ramos, when he was 6. As a single father, David had to stop playing so he could afford the equipment and tournament entrance fees for his son.

David said he has put more than $3,000 into his son's equipment.

"Anywhere we go and we try and practice to give him better conditions to practice at it's been tough because they're so expensive," he said.

One player who inspired Ramos to play was Puerto-Rican-born Chi Chi Rodriguez, who won eight times on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and 1970s. One opportunity provided to Latinos now that wasn't in Rodriguez's time is the PGA Tour Latinoamerica.

It's an 18-tournament, 13-country tour with 200 members; 130 of are fully exempt. The top five finishers at the end of each season earn a spot on the Web.com Tour, a minor league of sorts where players can work toward earning a spot on the PGA Tour by placing well in tournaments over the course of a season. Two players from the PGA Tour Latinoamerica, Bronson Burgoon and Zac Blair, are currently on the American PGA Tour and ranked 272nd and 137th in the world respectively.

"We wanted to expand our brand into the region," said Nelson Silverio, PGA Tour director of communications who has also worked with the tour on growing the game among minorities. "We created a pipeline for Latin players. In the past the guys who we've all heard of just made it on pure grit."

The need for Latin American players as role models goes hand in hand with growing the game among Latinos. Players like Lee Trevino and Rodriguez are now gone. Fewer elite players are originating from Latin America than in the past which can lead to a lack of interest or inspiration to play the game.

"The guys who look Spanish don't really play up that fact while Tiger Woods is black and they made a big deal about it because that separation is so massive," Montgomery said. "(Miguel) Angel-Cabrera, they don't talk about him being Spanish as much. Ultimately that's how you want it but for that population you've got to champion the cause. Who is he? Where did he come from? How did he get started? What are his motivations?"

According to the National Minority Golf Association, the number of African-Americans playing golf stood at 700,000 in 1992. Tiger Woods then won three U.S. Amateur Championships and turned pro in 1996. By 1998, one year after Woods won his first major, over 4 million African-Americans played golf. Those numbers, however, have not translated to more African American golfers on the PGA Tour.

One success story from Latin America is Colombian Camilo Villegas, who has four PGA Tour wins since joining in 2006 and quickly rose to fame with a unique crouching putting stance.

"I think we're definitely headed in the right direction," Villegas said. "The game of golf is a lot bigger in a place like the United States than it is in South America but it's growing and you've got to start somewhere."

The biggest lingering questions seem to be where is that "somewhere" for the Latino community and whom should be targeted. The PGA Latinoamerica caters to professionals and can provide role models but it still isn't teaching the game itself. Bringing in new, young Latino golfers is a struggle, yet 78 percent of Latinos in the United States have never picked up a golf club and only 1.8 percent of golfers who are Latino are between the ages of 6 and 17, according to the NGF.

Programs like the First Tee provide life skills and teach values within the framework of golf for children, but according to Silvario the main problem remains awareness of the game.

He once tried to give out tickets to a couple during a tournament in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico and they weren't even aware they were allowed to go.

"The sport is still evolving down there," he said. "My boss likes to say that the sport in Latin America is where it was in this country 30 or 40 years ago. What that means is it's a very private club-driven sport. Access to public facilities is close to none. Golf federations are still nascent. They're still getting there."

One group raising awareness is the Latina Golfer's Association, which uses golf as a business and networking tool while introducing Latinas to the game.

"What I've found is that they're interested, they've just never been introduced," said association founder Alzucena Maldonado. "There is a new face to golf in America and that's that anybody can go play golf and I think the golf industry has to do a better job in getting that word out that golf is for everybody and that everybody is welcome. The bottom line is you have to do outreach."

Silverio also said the PGA Tour is exploring footgolf, where a soccer ball is used instead of an actual golf ball and the players use their feet instead of a golf club. The idea is to tie the game of golf to a sport already popular among the Latino population in soccer.

"We have to think creatively," Silverio said. "You get them on the property. You get them with a sport that's somewhat familiar tied to one that's not - in a fun environment and oh, by the way, their is a golf tournament next door you might want to check out."

Barnes at Turquoise Valley has found his own way to grow the game. He hosts quinceaneras and weddings at his course. Once the Latino members from the community see the course, they're often inclined to come back and play, he said.

"The Mexican community endorses a lot of family events like those things and frankly spend a lot of money on it and we cater to that," he said.

The broader challenge remains finding a way to get older millennials involved, which is proving to be more of a challenge. The balance is delicate trying to market a sport which takes an entire morning to play to a generation which seemingly can't focus on more than one thing. According to a 2015 study done by Microsoft, humans were able to focus on one task for 12 seconds in 2000. That number has dropped to just 8 seconds over the past 15 years.

"We need to figure out where this group is already consuming media and consuming sport and target that demographic where they are already," Silverio said. "I don't think we should be arrogant enough to say 'We're the PGA Tour, you should come check us out because we're putting ads out in Spanish' because that sounds very condescending."

According to the 2010 NGF study, there are 5.8 million Latinos who are interested in golf but have never played. And it only takes one to find the next Ramos, Villegas, Trevino, Angel-Cabrera or Rodriguez.

"The word that keeps coming up is aspirational," Silverio said. "When we did some research in heavy Hispanic, heavy Latino markets 'aspirational' to describe golf kept coming up. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing."

EDITOR'S NOTE: Sources in the Public Insight Network informed the reporting in this story through a partnership with the Cronkite PIN Bureau. To send us a story idea or learn more, click here.

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Golf struggles to attract Latinos - Cronkite News - Arizona PBS

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