Our History
Before the inauguration of the Wichita Junior Golf Foundation's program at the public courses, junior golf was limited to Marilyn Linn at Arthur B. Sim Golf Course and Lila Adamson at MacDonald Golf Course organizing play days for juniors who already played golf. There was no professional instruction and the juniors paid all their own fees.
In 1974, Marge and Bob Page, Marilyn Linn, Lila Adamson and Velda Warden worked together to develop junior golf at all public courses. They secured access to the courses, approval of the golf pros and developed the framework and financing. Leaders were obtained from volunteers in the community.
In 1974, Wichita Junior Golf Foundation programs were started at all public golf courses in the area. Approximately 400 boys and girls between the ages of 10 to 18 enrolled. In subsequent years, before several participating courses formed their own standalone programs, participation was as high as 1,000 juniors annually. It is conservatively estimated that over twenty-six thousand juniors have participated in the Foundation's program.
Through the Foundation, Wichita became the first city in the country to have a junior program at the public courses that accepted juniors regardless of ability. It was also the first US city to incorporate a learning program with a competitive program.
Through the ongoing generosity of the Wichita community, the Foundation began a college scholarship program which over the past five years has allowed more than $275,000 in scholarships to junior golfers participating in the program.
In recognition of the Foundation's contributions to the community, in 1978 Marge Page was named Kansas Mother of the Year and in 2004 she was inducted into the Kansas Golf Hall of Fame.
The program has been financed by the generosity of business firms and individuals of the community. The Foundation has been honored with over three hundred memorials and scholarship contributions. The income derived from the investment of the memorials help to finance the ongoing junior golf and scholarship programs.
Wichita Junior Golf Foundation has always been an all-volunteer organization. The hundreds of volunteers, along with the dedicated golf course staff, are the ultimate reason that the program has been a success in accomplishing the goals of the Foundation.