Sorenstam, Nicklaus & Spieth Join Panel of Industry Judges
Orlando, FL (February 15, 2020) Kids from across the world get ready! Little Linksters™, LLC, The Little Linksters™ and the Association for Junior Golf Development are pleased to announce the tenth 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 members, Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam, and PGA Tour Star, Jordan Spieth.
They will join a team of US and International based PGA and LPGA teaching professionals. The judges include, US Kids Golf Top 50 instructors Michelle Holmes, Zoe Allen from Ireland, and Tom Reid from the UK, as well as acclaimed Canadian Instructor, Jason Helman. They all will join 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 is an inclusive contest, with fun at its center point, all children, regardless of ability are encouraged to submit their swings!
“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. This contest is primarily about fun and celebrating a game that is blind to age…kids as young as two years of age can love this game and we see that year in and year out.” 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 fourtime 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 in 2017. More recently, Elliott was named a 2019 GRAA Top 50 Elite Status Growth of the Game Teacher and one of Orlando Family Magazine’s 2019 Men of the Year. 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 2020 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 Contest.
• Annika Sorenstam— Also a World Golf Hall of Fame member. She is regarded as one of the best female golfers in history. She won 90 international tournaments as a professional, making her the female golfer with the most wins to her name. She won 72 official LPGA tournaments including ten majors and she tops the LPGA’s career money list with earnings of over $22 million. Annika is also making her fourth appearance as a judge.
• Jordan Spieth— Jordan is a three-time major winner and the 2015 FedEx Cup champion. In April 2016, Time magazine named Spieth to its list of the “100 Most Influential People”, noting that he “exemplifies everything that’s great about sports.” Spieth’s first major win came in the 2015 Masters Tournament where he became the second youngest golfer (behind Tiger Woods) to win the Masters. He then won the 2015 U.S. Open with a score of 5-under-par. He was the youngest U.S. Open champion since amateur Bobby Jones in 1923. This will be Jordan’s third time as a judge in our contest.
• Michelle Holmes— One of the very brightest instructors 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. Among her numerous awards, Michelle is a US Kids Golf Top 50 Master Kids Instructor.
• 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. Zoe won the distinction of being named a US Kids Golf Top 50 Master Kids Instructor this past January at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando,FL. This is her third year as a judge.
• Tom Reid— US Kids Top 50 Instructor, Tom Reid hails from the U.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.
• Jason Helman— Over the past 25+ years as a Golf Professional, Jason has made his mark in Canada as a top instructor and golf coach. His passion for the game, pride in his students, and their willingness to learn and develop as golfers or athletes so they can reach their highest pinnacle in the game are what drives him. He said, “All I want is for my students to succeed, whether they’re 5 years old or a tour professional.” Jason is the 2010 PGA of Canada National Teacher of the Year as well as the 2016 PGA of Canada Professional National Development Award Recipient.
How To Participate
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 now through March 31st 2020. Contest registration, complete details and instructions are available at https://littlelinksters.com/pee-wee-golf-swing-contest/
Trophies will be awarded in six age categories: Under 3; 3–4-year old’s; 5–6-year old’s, 7–8-year old’s. 9-10-year old’s and 11-12-year old’s.
Winners will be announced Live on Masters Sunday, April 12 th via Little Linksters Facebook page.
About Little Linksters™
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™ 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 2020 that will touch children ages 3-10 as well as 11-16 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.
