Making A Difference 201 5 H G A Y e a r i n R e v i e w 2015 HGA Year in Review TABLE OF CONTENTS Message from the Chairman of the Board and President ....................................... 2 CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD’S MESSAGE Houston Golf Association ......................................................................................4-5 Accomplishments of this organization never cease to 2015 Shell Houston Open .....................................................................................6-7 amaze. Our volunteers and staff continue to forge ahead Houston Golf Association Youth Programs ..........................................................8-9 with new tasks. The only thing that changes in our mission to help make a difference in our community 2015 Accomplishments of The First Tee® of Greater Houston........................10-11 through golf promotion is that we strive do more. National School Program and other projects ...................................................12-13 Undertaking the restoration and operation of Gus Wortham Park Golf Course is a perfect example of our HGA Junior Golf ................................................................................................14-15 organization’s quest to do more for the community. As HGA Amateur Golf .............................................................................................16-17 you read this we are still raising funds for this project. Academic Scholarship Program exceeds $1 million mark ................................18-20 We share pride with our title sponsor Shell Oil Company in the fact the tournament and HGA’s other golf-related 2015 HGA Financial Report ..............................................................................20-21 activities generated a community impact figure of $2.316 HGA Board of Directors .....................................................................................22-23 million. That elevated HGA’s cumulative giving to more than $64.3 million since 1974. More than $60 million of that has come since Shell became our title sponsor in 1992. Tom Forestier Chairman of the Board The First Tee® of Greater Houston continues to hold its Houston Golf Association place as the leader in participant outreach in a worldwide network of 180-plus chapters. Programming reached more than 260,000 youngsters last year. Our HGA Academic Scholarship Program, established in 1996, surpassed $1.12 million by awarding seven $20,000 grants-in-aid. We are also very proud of our ongoing Shell Houston Open beneficiaries – Chinquapin Preparatory School, Cenikor Foundation, Inc., and Project Joy and Hope. All of these organizations provide much-needed services in our community. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE This is the 10th edition of HGA Year in Review and the 2015 booklet features a financial report. Published first in 2006, this printed piece is our effort to share the organization’s progress. Our current stakeholders com- prise a diverse group – Shell Houston Open sponsors and volunteers, members of The First Tee ® of Greater Houston and their families, HGA Junior Golfers, as well as those involved in our HGA Academic Scholarship Program. We continue adding new groups to that list. In 2014 we were excited about assuming operation of city- owned F.M. Law Park. That excitement continues because pIn one of the most noteworthy accomplishments in its almost 70-year history, Houston Golf we are now assuming operation and restoration of Gus Association successfully spearheaded a move to assume operation of historic Gus Wortham Golf Wortham Park Golf Course. With help from a large group Course and to restore the facility with a new clubhouse and other amenities. of supporters, plans call for the oldest continually operating golf course in Texas to be renovated for the enjoyment of ON THE COVER Steve Timms golfers throughout the city. We urge you to review what President/CEO transpired in 2015. Clockwise from left: More than 360 fourth graders involved in The First Tee® of Greater Houston Houston Golf Association in-school program participated in the skills contest known as the Champions Challenge, held the Saturday before the Shell Houston Open. Jamonte Strawder graduated from Chinquapin Preparatory School in 2015 and is now attending Carleton College in Minnesota. Kasarn Jeradechachai earned an HGA Academic Scholarship and entered Princeton University. During her treatment for a rare form of Photography:leukemia Serenity Saenz and her mother resided at Project Joy and Hope’s Tulip Project. - 2 - - 3 - Houston Golf Association Organization broadens its outreach with new projects he year 2015 will go down in history as one filled with major milestones for our organization. TIn January City Council unanimously voted to enter in a public-private partnership between the City of Houston and Houston Golf Association, provided HGA met the fundraising goal to restore the historic Gus Wortham Park Golf Course. In December the City of Houston announced that HGA had reached its first milestone by generating $5 million toward the restoration project. Per its agreement with City Council, the 107-year-old property would be ceded to HGA after a mutually agreed upon transition period. Recognized as the oldest continually operating 18-hole course in Texas, some believe the Gus Wortham Park Golf Course also holds the distinction of being the oldest continually operating pShell Oil Company president Marvin Odum, left, and Houston Golf Association president Steve course west of the Mississippi. Timms, right, with representatives of some of the beneficiaries at the Celebration of Giving Luncheon in November. Front row from left Project Joy and Hope’s Dr. Jan Wheeler and Shelley Fuller, The First The Master Plan for the restoration calls for approximately $15 million in improvements. The Tee® of Greater Houston members Isabella Saenz and Ariana Saenz, Chinquapin Preparatory School’s Gus Wortham Park Golf Course Restoration Committee continues to be hard at work to raise the Marilu Garza and Dr. Laura Henry. Back row, from left, Cenikor Foundation, Inc.’s Eugene Hall and Nora additional $10 million by Dec. 31, 2017. Renovation of the classic golf course could begin as early Belcher. as the fall of 2016. The new clubhouse complex is scheduled to be constructed by Dec. 31, 2019. qHouston Golf Association members and others volunteered their time to help administer both the The Gus Wortham Park Golf Course is now the second city-owned property operated by HGA. In Greater Houston Men’s Amateur and the Senior Men’s Amateur at Memorial Park. HGA members 2014 our organization assumed operation of F.M. Law Park, a 102-acre facility that includes a 9-hole worked more than 570 hours spread over six days of competition. Many of these members also golf course and learning center overseen by The First Tee® of Greater Houston (related story, PGs donated time to The First Tee® of Greater Houston and the HGA Junior Golf program. 10-13). Our chapter continues to boast the largest participant outreach in The First Tee’s worldwide network of more than 180. • The First Tee® of Greater Houston delivered its curricula to 249,752 youngsters in physical education classes at 357 schools. • Ongoing programming in 2015 at green grass facilities in Humble, Hockley, Missouri City, plus Gus Wortham and Sharpstown courses in Houston, reached 1,800-plus participants. • After school and outreach programs, offered at YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs and at Houston Parks and Recreation sites, reached nearly 12,000 additional participants. Of course, the Shell Houston Open (related story, PGs 6-7) continued to be the driving force behind HGA’s community service programs. Shell Oil Company and HGA officials announced in November a community impact dollar figure of $2,316,623, generated by the tournament and HGA’s other golf-related programs. All of those funds had been put to use in the Houston area through contributions made to more than 250 charitable organizations. Since Shell became title sponsor of the PGA TOUR event in 1992, the Shell Houston Open has raised more than $60.6 million for local causes. Funds are generated annually by net proceeds from The tournament’s ongoing beneficiaries are Chinquapin Prep School (since 1979), Cenikor tournament revenue, direct contributions through the Charity Partners sponsorship program, Foundation, Inc. (since 1996) and Project Joy and Hope (2014). and monetary pledges to the Birdies for Charity program. HGA’s Academic Scholarship Program also reached a milestone in 2015, surpassing the million- dollar mark by awarding seven scholarships totaling $140,000 (related story PGs 19-20). Members John and Nancy Semander were recognized for providing the Semander Family Grant to our HGA Academic Scholarship Program. The runner-up in the selection process for the Randy Arnaud scholarship will now receive a one-time grant of $2,500. Stan Curtis presented two checks from the proceeds of his baseball book. The donations benefited The First Tee ® of Greater Houston and the Gus Wortham Park Golf Course Restoration Project. In June Larry Green and Mike Yeager were elected to serve a second three-year term on the HGA Board of Directors. John Semander won the Earl William “Bill” Tanner won the Bob Awe won the Terry Russ Elliott HGA Member of the HGA New Member of the Year Shell Houston Open Service Year Award. Award. Award. -4 - -5 - - 4 - Surrounded by youngsters representing the ongoing benefiting charities J. B. Holmes is all smiles after accepting the winner’s trophy