Since 1997 The PGA of Sweden has run the Gore Tex PGA Junior Pro-Am. This event is a team event for all golf clubs in Sweden, with one PGA Professional and three juniors (one of whom must be a girl) in each team. Initially the PGA of Sweden invested its own time and money in the event in order to get it up and running, then in 2002 it attracted Gore Text as a headline sponsor.
The Gore Tex PGA Junior Pro-Am is played in three steps – a club qualifying tournament at the home club, then district finals in each of the six districts of the PGA of Sweden and then a grand final. In order to allow the juniors to participate, the PGA of Sweden covers each team’s travel costs and hotel stay, together with meals and green fees. There are great prizes on offer to winning teams and the chance to take part in an established and well run tournament. After the practice round at the final one of the recipients of a PGA Future Fund grant gives a clinic to the attending juniors.
The event is widely advertised throughout Sweden and is growing in stature. Funding from the Ryder Cup European Development Trust was offered to help support this successful event and to allow it to continue to grow. The funding from the Ryder Cup European Development Trust has been crucial in maintaining the competition due to ever increasing green fees and the commitment of the PGA of Sweden to keep the entry fee low in order to encourage more clubs and teams to enter. In 2010 the PGA of Sweden recruited 23,000 new golfers and so every attempt is being made to keep them within the game of golf. On average around 3,500 juniors take part in the competition every year and the PGA of Sweden is keen to try and increase this number.