Sights & Sounds from Beyond the Green at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship

When Amy Yang’s last putt dropped on the 72nd hole at the 2024 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the world of golf celebrated its newest winner in championship fashion. It’s no secret the impact this championship has on the game of golf, and on the heels of Yang’s final putt, PGA WORKS held its signature Beyond The Green career-exploration event.  

Designed to educate and inspire talent from historically underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in the business of golf and beyond, the experience on Monday was lively and engaging for the participants. Coinciding with the annual Clearview Legacy Foundation Benefit, hosted by one of the game’s greatest ambassadors for change, Renee Powell, PGA, and the Ladies Professional Golfers Association, the day had an even extra special aura to it.  

The following are some sights and sounds from a weekend that left no room for doubt that the next generation of leaders are here:

During the final round of the 2024 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, as Amy Yang was marching her way to victory, girls from the Seattle-Tacoma area gathered for a Behind The Scenes Tour to learn about the ins and outs of what brings a world-class championship to life.  The tour was led by PGA of America Golf Professional and PGA of America Associate, Morgan Williamson, PGA and Sirene Blair – Recruiting & Member Engagement Specialists at the PGA of America.  Stops on the tour included the Volunteer Headquarters, the Media Center, and the Chase Sapphire Lounge off of the par-three, thirteenth hole.  

Monday morning brought a quiet stillness over the grounds at Sahalee Golf & Country Club –the tall evergreen spruces and pine trees that hug the tight fairways created the perfect frame for what would be a memorable day.  As attendees arrived they were greeted with activities like the PGA WORKS Hat Bar – where they could express their own style by creating their own custom hats and fanny packs. 

Right out of the gate, hosts of PGA WORKS Beyond The Green, Addie Parker and Coach Shayain, LPGA, filled the room with energy and an upbeat cadence.  As a full-time LPGA golf instructor and content creator, Coach Shayain jumped right in with an icebreaker exercise where the girls learned the fundamentals of golf with the help of the acronym, ‘GAPS’ – grip, aim, posture, and stance.  The activity showcased how simple it can be to learn the game with common household items like a hairbrush.  Addie Parker, a well-accomplished player in her own right and a freelance writer for Golf Digest and social media host, jumped in to help make sure the girls felt confident as many of them were trying something brand new.  This became a theme that was woven throughout the entire day.

The first panel of the day, titled “A Bold Life Beyond” featured Jeehae Lee, CEO of Sports Box Tech, Sirene Blair, Recruiting & Member Engagement Specialist at the PGA of America, and Thurshari Gooneratne, Community Manager at JPMorgan Chase Co.  This panel was designed to shed lights on unconventional paths that can lead to rewarding careers – whether in or adjacent to the golf industry.  This dynamic group presented how diverse skillets and backgrounds can present unique career paths and shape the future of the golf industry.

Thurshari had a lot of wisdom to share with the girls as she hosted a financial literacy workshop to better equip them with knowledge on money management.  “This is what I love to do both in my job and on my own personal time – it’s truly a passion of mine,”  says Gooneratne.  “I hope the girls here understand that the opportunities are limitless – both in and beyond golf.  It’s okay to not decide today what they can become tomorrow and pigeon-hole themselves into just one thing.”

Next, the girls were treated to an interactive session and fireside chat with Jennifer Clyde, Co-owner of Fore All – a unique golf lifestyle brand where women get connected, inspired, and educated around a golf industry they can actually relate to.  While one may not first think of clothes and fashion when they think of golf, Fore All is here to reimagine how people from all walks of life can express themselves on and off the golf course.  The students were even tasked with pairing pieces from Fore All’s clothing line to display how they would style an outfit they can be confident in.

Finally, the girls enjoyed a meet and greet with LPGA Tour player, Mariah Stackhouse and professional golfer, educator and steward of the game, Renee Powell.  Two of the game’s greatest names – Mariah is the seventh Black player to earn their LPGA Tour card and a four-year All-American at Stanford University.  Renee, the daughter of William Powell, leads all operations at Clearview Golf Course in Canton, Ohio – a facility built by her late father and is the first facility designed, constructed, owned and operated by an African American.  The duo leaned into the group of girls with invaluable knowledge and lessons to be learned on and off the golf course.

It’s clear this group of girls is driving full-speed ahead as the next generation of leaders and are eager about all the opportunities that are before them.  While PGA WORKS Beyond The Green provides a step into this landscape, it’s merely casting a small light on all the opportunities that lie ahead.

Host Addie Parker says it best – “Golf is such a broad space now, especially for these girls and underrepresented communities,” says Addie.  “While I’ve known this all my life because I’ve been involved in golf, PGA WORKS and Beyond The Green creates an opening for others to see themselves in this space or to know they have a spot and can come alongside.  It’s all about giving people the opportunity to show up for themselves, and the girls here this weekend did just that – that’s what changing lives is all about.”

PGA WORKS Beyond the Green strives to make a sustainable impact in our host championship markets by partnering with local community organizations to provide students access to industry leaders, executives and influencers to help inspire and engage them into our industry workforce.  Learn more about PGA WORKS at pgareach.org.