Today, RBC announced the first wave of publicly accessible golf courses selected to join RBC Community Junior Golf, a new initiative designed to build greater diversity and inclusivity in golf by creating affordable access to the sport for youth in underrepresented communities across Canada.
In partnership with Golf Canada, RBC Community Junior Golf will support the implementation of the First Tee – Canada and Youth on Course programs at municipal or publicly accessible golf courses, with the goal of engaging 15 facilities in 2022. The courses were selected based on accessibility to local public transit as well as proximity to community centres, with an intentional focus on regional and diverse representation.
By the end of 2023, RBC Community Junior Golf is expected to engage more than 10,000 young people by delivering free First Tee programming, which teaches life lessons through the game of golf, as well as $5 Youth on Course green fees to select Canadian courses across the country.
2022 RBC Community Junior Golf locations:
- Archie’s Family Golf Centre – Cornwall, ON
- Chedoke Golf Club – Hamilton, ON
- Humber Valley Golf Course – Etobicoke, ON
- Legends on the Niagara – Niagara, ON
- Peel Village Golf Course – Brampton, ON
- Tam O’Shanter Golf Course – Scarborough, ON
- Walter Gretzky Municipal Golf Course – Brantford, ON
- Whitewater Golf Club – Thunder Bay, ON
- Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation Golf: Fraserview Golf Course – Vancouver, BC
- Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation Golf: Queen Elizabeth Park Pitch and Putt – Vancouver, BC
- Cedar Hill Golf Course – Victoria, BC
- Club de Golf Municipal Dallaire – Rouyn-Noranda, QC
- Club de Golf Les Rivières – Trois-Rivières, QC
- Blomidon Golf and Country Club – Corner Brook, NL
- Mill River Golf Course – Woodstock, PEI
“As a long-standing supporter of golf and an advocate for youth, RBC is proud to bring RBC Community Junior Golf to life,” said Shannon Cole, Vice President, Brand Marketing, RBC. “We believe that sport has the power to build character, teach valuable life lessons, and provide opportunities for young people to grow, and we are excited to work with Golf Canada to provide First Tee and Youth on Course programming across the country.”
Canadian youth ages five to 18 years can benefit from programming at one of the ten participating golf courses. RBC Community Junior Golf participating facilities will work with community centres or schools in their local area to register youth participants. For more details, visit the RBC Community Junior Golf website: https://www.golfcanada.ca/rbcjrgolf.
Golf Canada is grateful to have a like-minded partner in RBC with a shared intentional focus to increase access to junior golf, especially for youth from backgrounds that historically have been underserved.
“The enthusiasm from RBC to advance the sport and provide funding to introduce the game to a diverse range of young golfers at municipal and especially publicly accessible facilities has been extraordinary,” said Kevin Blue, Chief Sport Officer, Golf Canada. “RBC Community Junior Golf will accelerate the delivery of First Tee programming across the country and with RBC’s support, golf will be a vehicle to foster life skills and positively impact Canadian youth from all backgrounds.”
One of the important ways RBC brings its Purpose of helping clients thrive and communities prosper to life is by empowering young people. RBC Future Launch is the bank’s $500 million commitment to help Canadian youth prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, including $50 million in focused funding to create meaningful and transformative pathways to prosperity for 25,000 BIPOC youth by 2025. In addition, through the RBC Heritage and RBC Canadian Open tournaments, RBC has helped raise over $35 million in support of local charities in Canada and the United States.
To learn more about RBC Community Junior Golf in support of First Tee and Youth on Course, visit golfcanada.ca/rbcjrgolf.