U.S. Kids Golf

Corporate Headquarters: Peachtree Corners, Georgia

Website: http://www.uskidsgolf.com

Category: Equipment

LEADERSHIP

Dan Van Horn, President and Founder

Lane Andrews, VP Marketing LLC & Foundation

John Bryan, VP Coaches Institute

Eric Meracle, VP Sales

U.S. Kids Golf is the leading junior golf company in the world, designing and manufacturing four lines of Golf Equipment for kids, hosting more than 1,900 tournaments each year through its Tournaments division, and has certified more than 6100 coaches in 73 countries through its Coaches Institute.

U.S. Kids Golf was founded in 1996 by former golf professional and engineer Dan Van Horn due to the fact that he was having difficulty getting his two young sons into the game of golf. Van Horn found that the clubs that were developed for youth golfers were a poor fit which hindered swing development and enjoyment of the game.

In an effort to combat these challenges, Van Horn began developing kids clubs which are designed to be 25% lighter than most junior clubs. Soon after, U.S. Kids Golf was started with the purpose of making golf easier for kids to learn, play and enjoy.

(Image courtesy: U.S. Kids Golf)

Today, U.S. Kids Golf offers four lines of clubs for kids. The Yard Club is designed to teach beginners proper hand placement and a smooth swing at home or on the range. The Ultralight clubs are the industry standard for beginner’s clubs to encourage better swings. The Tour Series clubs are designed for youth golfers who are ready for equipment that offers move technology and is the number one choice for competitive players age 12 and under. In 2023, they will introduce their new E.P. line, the most technologically advanced putters and adjustable drivers ever for young players.

The clubs are scaled for players in 3″ height increments, with a Yard Club offered for players as small as 36″ inches tall (up to 66″ tall) and Tour Series for players as tall as 69″ (starting at 51″). The Ultralight line offers nine sizes (39″- 69″). The EP line will also be fit for players 51” to 69” tall.

The company also offers Ultralight for Women in two sizes, filling a need for beginning to intermediate women players, one of the fastest-growing demographics in golf.

In 2001, the company founded the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation, a non-profit 501 ( c ) ( 3 ), which became the host for its Tournaments division and Coaches Institute programs.

U.S. Kids Golf Tournaments are designed to host top-quality events that provide aspirational goals for players while also creating a family-friendly atmosphere to enhance the parent-child dynamic.

There are 275 different Local Tours conducted annually (nearly 2000 events) around the world, as well as many state, regional, and international championships. The U.S. Kids Golf Teen World Championship (for ages 13 -18) and World Championship (ages 5 -12) are conducted over a two-week span each year at historic Pinehurst, North Carolina. These Championships attract more than 2000 players representing over 50 countries. The World Championship was the subject of a popular Netflix documentary, “The Short Game,” and has hosted numerous PGA and LPGA stars as they developed.

The Coaches Institute is a resource that provides training and education for junior golf coaches around the world through both in-person and online seminars that relay best practices in all areas of teaching young players. Coaches can become certified in up to three levels. The Institute is also home to the U.S. Kids Golf Academy, one of the largest teaching programs in the world.

In 2015, U.S. Kids Golf purchased Longleaf Golf & Family Club in Southern Pines, NC to help bring the purpose of the organization to life.

“We are treating this as a living laboratory for growing kids and family golf in a club environment,” said Van Horn. “Our goal is to implement best practices in a real-life situation.”

The club is an ideal location for families and features a state-of-the-art academy building and the home of the Longleaf Tee System, which features seven tee locations that range from 3200 yards up to 6800 yards, scaling the golf course for every level of player.