Meet this Drive, Chip and Putt competitor from an unlikely location, and the incredible program behind her
This free junior golf program in New York City is as good as it gets. And some competitive golfers—including DCP national finalist Ava Chen, are coming out of it.
A little more than a quarter century ago, the New York City Parks Foundation created a golf program. How did they find a way to let kids hit golf balls in New York City, you wonder? Baseball fields.
“We were bringing the game right to them in their local neighborhood parks,” Jonathan Gamberg, the Director of Sports at City Parks Foundation, said. “Transforming outfields by putting flag sticks out and creating temporary greens, bringing modified equipment into the parks and the ball fields to teach kids all of the basics of the game. ” The program wrapped up by taking the kids out to an actual golf course.
Nearly 1,000 kids signed up that first year. And it’s only grown since then. Fast forward to 2026, and the City Parks Foundation has three junior golf centers in New York City.
And a golfer from one of them, Ava Chen, qualified for the 2026 Drive, Chip, and Putt at Augusta National. More From Golf Digest Golf Digest Logo How You Can Drive, Chip & Putt Like A Kid Drive, Chip and Putt Drive, Chip and Putt to feature new Pace of Play Bonus at Augusta National Golf Digest Logo How to tell if your kid is going to be any good at golf The golf centers in Queens, Staten Island and Brooklyn are a far cry from the baseball fields the program started on. The one in Brooklyn where Chen, age 11, plays is near Dyker Beach Golf Course.
Continue to the original source for the full article.