Los Angeles-Based Entrepreneur Selected Among Golf Top 40 Under 40

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- With a mission to provide access to America's youth of all backgrounds to the game of golf in a fun and educational environment, Los Angeles based TGA-Premier Junior Golf Founder and CEO, Joshua Jacobs, has been recognized for his impact on the game by being selected among the "Top 40 Under 40" by GOLF Magazine.

Nominees for this ranking were solicited from a variety of golf industry sources by the editorial staff of the Sports Illustrated Golf Group. The finalists were then determined by a panel of Golf Magazine editors and published in the November issue of GOLF Magazine.

"These 40 people, all under the age of 40, are the game's up-and-coming generation of influencers, trendsetters and newsmakers, an eclectic mix of talent worth watching today and for many years to come," stated GOLF Magazine.

Jacobs, 34, joins a select group of industry talent, which comes from such categories as Professional Players including Tiger Woods, Ricky Fowler and Michelle Wie, Instructors, Business, Media, Equipment, Course Design and Greens Keeping, and Good of the Game. Jacobs joins the likes of entertainer Justin Timberlake, PGA Professional Dan Rooney – Folds of Honor, Amy Mickelson, Kevin Fletcher – Audubon International, and Guy Garbino – The First Tee, among the Good of the Game honorees.

"I'm honored and humbled to be selected alongside these exceptional people who are impacting the future of this great game," said Jacobs. "I always believed the best way to grow the game of golf was to bring it directly to the masses in schools and provide an affordable, accessible and educational program for the future. We are doing that successfully with TGA, not only with bringing more kids to the game and creating a fun and safe learning environment for parents and the schools, but also as a unique business opportunity for entrepreneurs."

Joshua's passion for growing the game of golf began as he grew up in Los Angeles, California playing in local and national junior golf tournaments such as the SCPGA Junior Tour and AJGA. He started TGA-Premier Junior Golf in the summer of 2003 as an overnight golf camp, which morphed into the concept of introducing children of all backgrounds into the game directly through the schools that Fall. He also taught juniors in various golf camps throughout Los Angeles during high school and college.

Joshua continues to run TGA's National Headquarters located in El Segundo, which allows him to continue overseeing the continued growth locally where it all began. Today, TGA is making a major impact in over 200 schools in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas with over 12,000 students and 2,000 campers attending TGA programs.

"Even though we have successfully established TGA across the country, my loyalty and roots lie at TGA's birthplace, in the Los Angeles area. I have always felt a close connection locally with our schools and camps here in Los Angeles," said Jacobs. "The TGA program started here and we feel no matter how large we become nationwide, we will always place a certain level of priority on continuing to serve the local community where it all began."

In addition, Jacobs was instrumental in bringing the game of golf to the under-resourced youth of the Compton Unified School District and the Hawthorne School District through the newly created TGA Foundation. By providing grant funding, TGA leaves no students behind and gives them the opportunity to learn the game and benefit during the at-risk after school hours from year round golf enrichment programs.

TGA's in-school five-level curriculum advances participant's golf skills while building confidence and self-esteem. At each of the five levels, TGA instills life skills, a character development initiative as well as fundamental math, science, English, and history associated with the program and the game of golf.

"Our goal is to impact all kids throughout the Los Angeles area and show them that golf can be fun and educational as well as an extension of the classroom," said Jacobs.

TGA is now the Premier Junior Golf Program in the United States and the only national at-school, after school, golf enrichment program in the country. As a leading initiative to grow junior golf in the U.S., to date, 90,000 children have been through the TGA program in the unique in school/after school enrichment programs as well as camps, clinics and tournaments at golf courses.

"TGA's franchised business model has created a wide variety of job opportunities in the Los Angeles area and around the country for people who enjoy working with and impacting children through a unique entry into youth sports, education, and the golf industry," said Jacobs. "To grow the game and open successful businesses during these economic times are a true testament to the last seven years of running this business."

TGA-Premier Junior Golf is based in Los Angeles, California and offers its programs in 48 territories with 2200 schools in 21 states across the country. For more information, visit www.golftga.com.

SOURCE TGA-Premier Junior Golf