Why the Junior 100 Challenge is One of Golf's Most Impactful Events

Less than an hour outside of bustling Manhattan—depending on traffic, of course—sits Ardsley Country Club. The winding drive to the course itself is rather unassuming, but once you approach Ardsley's entrance, you'll quickly discover that it is a hidden gem.

Tucked away in the crevice of the Hudson River Valley overlooking staggering trees and rolling hills, you're consumed by sights that feel far from New York. Walking towards the luxe brick clubhouse, a blanket of serenity engulfed me along with the symphony of bird songs and the faint tunes of a groovy jazz band echoing through the halls toward the main ballroom. 

Filled with excitement and eagerness for the day, I followed the sounds of boisterous laughter. For the third year in a row, Ardsley served as the backdrop to the Junior One Hundred Challenge.

The Junior One Hundred Challenge, in collaboration with PGA WORKS and the One Hundred Black Men of New York, is a strategic inclusion partnership designed to introduce opportunities within golf to the Junior One Hundred (JOH) membership—a youth leadership and career exposure program open to students ages 12 to 24. The program focuses on career exploration, character development, personal growth, and mentorship.

It's a day organized to expose these students to golf at its finest—with golf clinics led by PGA of America Golf Professionals and collaborative activities designed to teach and equip these 65 students with career-building skills.

The warming jazz welcome from the Jr. 100 cohort’s band, named JoJazz, kicked off the day before the students were divided into groups for their golf stations. Each station focused on specific golf fundamentals: putting, chipping, and full swing. 

For many of these students, this was their introduction to the game of golf, and they quickly learned that making contact is not for the faint of heart, nevertheless, the smiles persisted and you could tell that they were embracing the experience. I had the pleasure of watching a few groups at the full swing station, alongside Crystal Eley who works with the production team at the Golf Channel.  

When speaking to a few of the students, Crystal said one moment stood out among the rest.

"I asked one of the attendees what his biggest takeaway from the clinic was and he said, “Patience. I have to be patient." His response exemplifies the sheer pulchritude of this game. You always leave with something that applies to the game of life." 

As many beginners soon discover, golf is a collective of swings and misses. With each swing, you begin to get the hang of things and eventually, you're able to hit that little white ball with intention. 

The same can be said when it comes to career building. More often than not when you're starting a job or new career, you're going to fail…many times, but that's a part of the process— a valuable lesson that these students would learn throughout the day.

After spending time at each station, watching these students progress in their golf skills, I even indulged in a few swings, enlisting some help from the students and PGA Professionals. 

As the morning progressed, we got wind that a very special guest was making an appearance, and I wanted to be sure that I snagged my selfie before everyone else found out. 

The infamous Ryder Cup trophy, in all its glory, gleamed on display and was the star of the show. 

Next year's Ryder Cup will return to Bethpage State Park where the world's best will take on the brutal Black Course in front of chaotic crowds that only New Yorkers know how to pull together.

The students wrapped up the stations and filed back into the main ballroom to partake in a fun, interactive case study activity, where they had to come together and brainstorm a plan to get more Gen Z viewers to watch the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage and engage with social content around the tournament.

One by one each group stood in front of PGA of America Leadership, Sandy Cross and Jeff Price, President of One Hundred Black Men of New York, Robert Brown, as well as 2025 Ryder Cup Championship Director, Bryan Karns, and pitched their ideas on how to engage the younger demographic for next year's Ryder Cup. 

From including popular Twitch streamers and influencers to offering a wider variety of concessions for patrons, the ideas were plentiful and rather comical to hear! There was no shortage of creativity coming from this brilliant bunch!

The highlight of the day for me came when it was time for the last group to come up and present their idea, and the group's designated speaker had gotten overwhelmed once faced with the crowd. Public speaking can be a daunting task and with so many eyes focused on you, anyone could be filled with anxiety. This young man was so overcome with emotions that you could see him shutting down but his group members stepped up and supported him. No one in the room laughed or dared to make fun, but rather stood up and cheered him on, giving him the courage to say what he intended on presenting. With newfound bravery, he delivered the pitch for his group and absolutely crushed it! In that moment, compassion and unity filled the room as everyone applauded him.

The afternoon activities shifted to a mini Beyond The Green panel, which I had the privilege of moderating all about the power of connections.

In today's interconnected world, the relationships we build can significantly influence our personal and professional success. The power of connections extends beyond mere networking—it’s about creating meaningful relationships that nurture growth, foster collaboration, and open doors to limitless possibilities.

Our panel guests were Jodi Brockington, founder of Niara Consulting, Bryan Karns the Championship Director of the 2025 Ryder Cup, and Rob Brown, President of the One Hundred Black Men of New York.

All three have very different experiences within their careers, but all shared an understanding of the importance of relationship building and networking. “Golf is all about the relationships you build and the life lessons you learn on the course – which then can lead to off-course success, too,” says Bryan Karns, who began his career in golf as a Championships Intern in 2007.  

“There is no shortage of opportunity in this industry.”

One by one, they shared anecdotes and bits of advice that they've learned in their tenure as working professionals. 

Brockington, who works in consulting self-identifies as a connector, it's her job to bring different folks together in her line of work, so for her building relationships is key. Her best piece of advice for the students was simple…offer something. Doesn't matter who you are or what you do or even if it doesn't make sense when you're working with someone for the very first time, always offer your services, and don't just ask for things.

The conversation flowed organically, with laughs between our panelists and with students asking thoughtful questions about how our panelists overcame things like adversity in their careers.

As the day wrapped, different students came up to me and were eager to ask about potential jobs and internships that I could possibly connect them with—fast learners! Utilizing their network, proactively thinking ahead, and harnessing the power of connections to unlock new opportunities and reach their full potential. 

Events like the Junior One Hundred Challenge are integral to growing this game and serve as a reminder to those of us in it, to look back at where we once started, when we were kids picking up golf for the first time with not a clue that it would take us on whatever path you may be on.