Deltona, FL (February 5, 2019) Kids from across the world get ready! Little Linksters™, LLC, The Little Linksters™ Association for Junior Golf Development and The Littlest Golfer Inc. are pleased to announce the ninth installment of their Annual Best “Pee Wee” Golf Swing in the World Video Contest. This is the ninth straight year Little Linksters™, LLC, along with the Little Linksters™ Association for Junior Golf Development (501c3) and The Littlest Golfer, Inc., have hosted this kid-centric contest. Once again, this year, some very heavy hitters from the golf world have joined the cause, including World Golf Hall of Fame member, Jack Nicklaus, 2018 Open Champion, Francesco Molinari, Golf Channel personality, Lauren Thompson and PGA President Suzy Whaley. They will join a team of US based and International PGA and LPGA teaching professionals. The judges include, US Kids Golf Top 50 instructors Michelle Holmes, Zoe Allen from Ireland, Tom Reid from the UK, Anna Diletta Daffan from Italy and the contest’s host, and Little Linksters founder, Brendon Elliott, who was named the PGA’s National Youth Player Development award winner in 2017.
The popular contest allows parents to upload a video to YouTube of their “Little Linksters” swing. Videos will be submitted over the following two months, and prizes will be awarded in four age groups—ranging from ages 3 to 12. Voting will be conducted by a panel of industry veterans and experts. This year, there will also be a special award in each age group for a child with special needs, in celebration of the Little Linsters GOALS program for children with special needs.
“We are ecstatic to once again have this opportunity to showcase to the golf world what the youngest among us can do with a golf club,” explained PGA Professional Brendon Elliott, founder of Little Linksters™, LLC and Little Linksters™ Association for
Junior Golf Development. “We are very humbled to have had such a recognized and esteemed celebrity panel of judges over the years, including Jordan Spieth, Lydia Ko, Brooke Henderson, Andrew “Beef” Johnston, Tony Jacklin, Annika
Sorenstam, Hank Haney, Kelly Sheehan, Lexi Thompson, Jim McLean, Win McMurry, Paula Creamer, Nicole Weller, Chuck Evans, Brittany Lincicome, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Keegan Bradley, Mark Bradley, Allen Wronowski, Frank Nobilo, David Leadbetter, Michelle Wie and Holly Sonders.” added Elliott. In last year’s contest, 200 plus entries poured in from over 15 countries from around the world.
Elliott, who is a US Kids Golf Top 50 Kids Teacher (2010, ‘11 and ’12), a 2013 US Kids Golf Top 50 Master Kids Teacher, a four- time NFPGA Junior Golf Leader award winner (2011-14), as well as a five-time Top 50 Growth of the Game Teacher as named by the Golf Range Association, was named the PGA of America’s National Youth Player Development award winner this year and was recently named a 2018 GRAA Top 50 Elite Status Growth of the Game Teacher. Brendon will lead the judging of the Best Pee Wee Swing contest once again this year. He will be assisted by this year’s celebrity panel of judges. Taking part in the 2019 campaign:
- Jack Nicklaus— World Golf Hall of Fame member and the man that holds the record for the most major championship titles in the men’s game. Known to many as the best male golfer of all time. Mr. Nicklaus is making his fourth appearance as a judge in the Best Pee Wee Swing
- Francesco Molinari— The 2017 Open Champion and a Team Europe Ryder Cup powerhouse. Francesco is a first-time judge in this contest.
- Suzy Whaley— PGA of America President, Suzy Whaley makes her first appearance as a judge but is no stranger to the contest, entering numerous students that she coaches over the years. Suzy is a longtime proponent of player development and has won numerous awards for her efforts as a teacher and coach including being named as a US Kids Golf Master Kids Teacher in 2013.
- Lauren Thompson— Long time Golf Channel Personality and host of NBC’s The Champion Within. LT is serving as a judge for her 4th
- Michelle Holmes— One of the very brightest up and comers in the junior golf instruction arena. A multiple award- winning teacher, Michelle is the owner of the Michelle Holmes School of Golf at Cahoon Plantation. Michelle serves the greater Williamsburg, Virginia Beach and Outer Banks area but has an ever-increasing influence around the world. This is her third straight year as a judge.
- Zoe Allen— Another of the very brightest up and comers in the junior golf instruction arena. A multiple award- winning teacher, Zoe is the owner of Zoe Allen Golf at Lurgan Golf Club in Lurgan, Northern Ireland. This is her first year as a judge.
- Anna Diletta Daffan — Keeping with the international line up, Anna joins us for her first go as a judge. She is another up and comer in the junior golf instruction arena and hails from Arzignano, Italy. A multiple award- winning teacher, Anna is the owner of the Anna Diletta Golf School.
- Tom Reid— US Kids Top 50 Instructor, Tom Reid hails from the K. Tom is a former Touring Professional that has made a significant impact in the junior golf arena in Europe over the past few years. Formerly an instructor at the highly acclaimed Wentworth Club, Tom is now the senior teaching professional at Stoke Park Golf and Country Club. Tom is a lead in the Leadbetter Kids program, which is a youth program from the David Leadbetter Academy.
Parents are encouraged to participate in this contest by uploading a video (no longer than 60 sec) to YouTube of their “Little Linksters” swing. Once the video is posted to YouTube, parents must share that video link to the Contest Entry Form on the contest page on www.LittleLinksters.com. The contest entry period runs from January 21st, 2019 through March 22nd, 2019. Contest registration, complete details and instructions are available at https://littlelinksters.com/pee-wee-golf-swing-contest/
Prize packages will be awarded in six age categories: Under 3; 3–4 year olds; 5–6 year olds, 7–8 year olds. 9-10 year olds and 11-12 year olds. In addition, there will also be a special award in each age group for a child with special needs, in celebration of the Little Linsters GOALS program for children with special needs. Winners prize package will be announced soon.
Winners will be announced on Masters Sunday, April 14th via Facebook Live from the Littlest Golfer Inc.’s headquarters in Savannah, GA.
The Little Linksters™ golf program in Central Florida is designed specifically for children ages 3 to 8 years old. The program is taught in a fun and interactive way, using both traditional and non-traditional instructional methods to ensure children’s first introduction to golf is FUN! The Little Linksters™ mascots Floppy, Birdie & Bogey are featured in the programs instructional coloring book and training aids.
The Little Linksters™ Association for Junior Golf Development, a 501c3 nonprofit in conjunction with AAU, is continuing to develop a national program that will enable teaching professionals from across the country to grow their business and the game of golf with a proven program that combines a child-friendly approach, a complete program curriculum, and uses items from some of the industry’s best training aid and junior golf equipment companies.
One of the Association’s most prized projects, called G.O.A.L.S. (Golf Outreach Advances Life Skills) is specifically aimed at introducing children ages 3-12+ with special needs to the game of golf. In doing so, children will learn valuable life skills that will help them throughout their life. The Special Olympics of Central Florida is a proud partner of Little Linksters™ efforts with this program. Support of the G.O.A.L.S. program has also come from the Alliance for Accessible Golf as well as Jordan Spieth and the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation.
Little Linksters hopes to add additional programming in 2019 that will touch children ages 3-8 as well as 9-16 that are in economically challenged situations, enduring lengthy hospital stays due to chronic illnesses and other youngsters that may have never had an opportunity such as those that Little Linksters™ offers. “Golf is more than a game; it is a tool to teach young children so much more and we hope to use this tool to enhance the lives of as many children as possible explains Elliott, Little Linksters™ founder and Executive Director.
To help the nonprofit, Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development contact them at nonprofit@littlelinksters.com To donate go to Little Linksters™ go here: https://littlelinksters.com/donate/
To become a corporate sponsor, contact Executive Director Brendon R. Elliott, PGA at brendonelliott@pga.com
For more information about the “Best Pee-Wee Golf Swing in the World” Video Contest or the Little Linksters™ Association for Junior Golf Development, please visit www.littlelinksters.com or contact Brendon Elliott at Brendon@LittleLinksters.com or by phone at (321) 278-1612.
