President's Message
On the heels of summer golf season, and an incredible Ryder Cup week at Bethpage Black, we are excited for the NJ Golf Foundation fall schedule.
I want to give a shout out to U.S. Army Veteran and NJPGA HOPE Ambassador Charlie Wilcox, who served as a Standard Bearer at the 45th Ryder Cup. What an incredible honor and experience.
PGA HOPE is rehabilitative golf program that is changing and saving the lives of our Veteran community. As the program expands across New Jersey, we continue to introduce more female Veterans to the game of golf, and it’s truly inspiring to see so many women Veterans enjoying the game.
I’m equally proud of our annual NJGF Golf Classic, the Foundation’s signature fundraising event, which enjoyed a record setting day at Baltusrol GC on Monday, August 18th, as we raised $325,000 to support programming while recognizing Dave West for his longstanding contributions to the Foundation.
Even more inspiring is watching the next generation of golfers compete in PGA Jr. League, as this successful team program is so meaningful and continues to thrive throughout New Jersey Congrats to Jeremy Eccles and his U13 team from Fiddlers Elbow CC, and Bill Castner and the U17 team from Plainfield West 9- First Tee, for capturing New Jersey PGA Jr. League Section Championships.
As always, we appreciate the commitment from our partners & donors, as your continued support allows us to make a more meaningful impact in communities across the state. If you are looking to get involved, please contact the NJGF’s Executive Director, Chris Hunt at chunt@pgahq.com or (732) 465-1212. Thanks.
Sincerely,
Mike Attara
President, NJGF
NJ Golf Foundation Supports Camp Shriver and Special Olympics New Jersey Athletes
Throughout the summer months Special Olympics New Jersey hosts Camp Shriver, a series of week-long day camp for individuals with intellectual disabilities, offering the opportunity for Special Olympics Athletes to experience multiple sports.
As a longtime supporter of Special Olympics NJ, the NJGF is fully invested in the summer program, as PGA of America Golf Professionals David Plarre and Chrissy Williams enjoyed the privilege of leading 4-weeks of golf instruction at Camp Shriver.
It was pure joy watching these athletes experience the game golf.
New Jersey PGA Jr. League Championship Presented by RWJBarnabas Health
120 junior golfers representing clubs throughout the state competed in the 2025 New Jersey PGA Jr. League Section Championship presented by RWJBarnabas Health on July 24th at the Inspiration Golf Range/Coakley-Russo Memorial Golf Course.
New Jersey’s PGA Jr. League Golf serves more than 1,600 junior golfers competing on 100+ teams (U13 & U17) representing public facilities, municipal courses, private clubs and First Tee chapters. Through this program, kids have a unique opportunity to stay active, while learning and enjoying the game of golf in a fun and social environment alongside their friends - under the direction of PGA and LPGA Golf Professionals.
PGA Jr. league features team vs. team competitions in a more comfortable “team” scramble format as opposed to the traditional “individual” stroke-play competition.
Congrats to Jeremy Eccles and his U13 team from Fiddlers Elbow CC and Bill Castner and the U17 from Plainfield West 9- First Tee for capturing New Jersey PGA Jr. League Section Championships.
Check out Jeremy’s interview with ONNJ:
https://www.onnj.com/videos/pga-coach-leads-youngsters-to-their-5th-championship-since-2019/
US Army Veteran and NJPGA HOPE Ambassador Charlie Wilcox Walks the Fairways at 2025 Ryder Cup
United States Army Veteran and NJPGA HOPE Ambassador Charlie Wilcox, who currently manages outside operations at the Inspiration Golf Range located on the Lyons Campus of the VA New Jersey Health Care System in Bernards Township, served as a standard bearer during the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) is a rehabilitative golf program that is changing and saving the lives of Veterans in New jersey and nationwide.
Check out this segment on WNBC:
NJGF Golf Classic Raises “Record Setting” $325,000 to Support Golf Programming for Youth, Military Veterans and Special Needs
Dave West, Partner at Centerview Capital Honored as 2025 Chairman’s Award Recipient
The 19th Annual NJGF Golf Classic was hosted at Baltusrol Golf Club on Monday, August 18th generating a “record setting” $325,000 to support golf programming for youth, military Veterans and individuals with special needs.
During the post golf celebration, Dave West was honored as the 2025 Chairman’s Award recipient. The Chairman’s Award is given annually to an individual who works tirelessly behind the scenes to support NJGF programs and initiatives. West is currently a Partner at Centerview Capital, a firm focused on investing in the Consumer-Packaged Goods industry and he also serves as a board member of three publicly traded companies; Simply Good Foods, FreshPet, and Advantage Solutions. West has been a longtime advocate of the NJGF for many years and continues to work diligently to support programs and special events.
“The NJGF Golf Classic is our signature fundraising event and continues to showcase the power golf has to unite and uplift communities,” said Chris Hunt, Executive Director, New Jersey Golf Foundation. “This year we were proud to honor Dave West as the 2025 Chairman’s Award recipient. Dave is passionate about the NJGF’s mission, and his philanthropic qualities truly embody our spirit and commitment to positively impact lives through this great game.”
Founded in 2004, the NJGF is committed to positively impacting lives and communities through the game of golf, and the NJGF Golf Classic is the signature fundraising event on the Foundation’s annual calendar. Thanks to a dynamic line-up of programs, and participation from more than 100 NJPGA Professionals, the NJPGA/NJGF positively impacts more than 125,000 youth, 500+ Veterans and more than 1,000 kids and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities on an annual basis.
Led by PGA of America Golf Professionals, and with a focus on 3 core pillars: youth, military, and special needs, NJGF programming provides individuals from all backgrounds with access to the game of golf in a welcoming environment. Proceeds from the NJGF Golf Classic support PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) a rehabilitative golf program for military Veterans living with PTSD and TBI; Special Olympics New Jersey Golf; Els For Autism; PGA Jr. League, Golf in Schools and new NJGF Heroes Tour for Active Military, Veterans and First Responders, among other programs.
PGA HOPE Inspires Women Veterans
As the PGA HOPE program continues to grow across the state, the “Women’s Veterans” program, hosted at Rutgers Golf Course and led by PGA of America Golf Professionals, Lisa Jensen and Juliet Little, has become a must attend session.
The rehabilitative golf program for military Veterans is truly changing and saving the lives of America’s Heroes, and the opportunity to offer a women Veterans only program, in a welcoming environment, has proved incredibly successful. PGA HOPE has helped thousands of Veterans build community through the social interaction the game of golf provides.
Freedom School Summer Golf Program Introduces The Game to 60 Kids K-8
Approximately 60 scholars (K-8) participated in the first-ever Freedom School Golf Program for two weeks during the summer. The learning/reading based summer camp, which also includes a series of extra-curricular activities featured and intro to golf program, via the Golf In Schools curriculum for students entering grades K-8.
NJPGA Professional David Plarre led the instructional series inspiring kids while hoping to spark greater interest in the game. Prior to the start of the session, Plarre enjoyed the opportunity to read a children's golf book to their scholars.
Will Cisko, the NJPGA Section PGA Works Fellow assisted with this program.
The Freedom School at The Mark is a summer program that runs for 6 weeks in partnership with the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools. It offers a multicultural curriculum and activities to prevent summer learning loss, bridge achievement gaps, and create confident, well-read children ready to positively impact their families, communities, nation, and the world. It includes five key components: high-quality literacy enrichment, parental and family involvement, civic engagement and social action, leadership development across generations, and nutrition, physical, and mental health.
Brian Skorochocki's 100 Hole Marathon at Stanton Ridge Golf & Country Club Generates $11,500 for NJ Golf Foundation Programming
Thank you to Brian Skorochocki, Head PGA Professional at Stanton Ridge Golf & Country Club for participating in a 100 hole marathon and raising $11,500 in support of NJ Golf Foundation programs. Kudos for the incredible support from the management team and passionate membership at Stanton Ridge. Check out the video below:
Will Cisko Named PGA Works Fellow
Will Cisko a graduate of Rutgers University was named the 2025 PGA Works Fellow for the NJPGA.
The PGA WORKS Fellowship, established in 2017, provides the opportunity for a paid immersion in a PGA of America Section’s Foundation operations. The PGA WORKS Fellowship is one of the most valuable entry-level opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds to gain experience in the golf industry. The Fellowship gives recent college and university graduates a first-hand look at everything that a career in the $102 billion golf industry can provide.
Cisko’s primary responsibilities have been to support the NJGF’s full lineup of programs headlined by PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), PGA Jr. League, Special Olympics Golf, and the new Freedom School Summer program. Additionally, Cisko supported all programs and events at the Inspiration Golf Range, while providing operations assistance for NJPGA tournaments and special events.
Special Thank you to our Corporate Partners
Your support of the NJGF allows us to make a more meaningful impact throughtout the communities we serve.