Fayetteville, NC – When PGA Professional Kevin Martin and Dr. Edward Dickerson first sat down over three years ago, they shared a clear goal: bring golf, and the team-based experience of PGA Jr. League, to kids in Fayetteville who might not otherwise have the chance to play.

It began as a weekly program tailored to the group of kids reached by Dr. Dickerson’s fraternity (Sigma Pi Phi), with Kevin even training fraternity members to help coach. The program drew in the whole community and sparked real interest, but also brought challenges like high instructor-to-kid ratios and strain on the course.

To make it sustainable, they decided to integrate these juniors into Kevin’s existing schedule at King’s Grant Golf Academy. This change gave families flexibility to choose from regular classes while letting Kevin provide more individualized coaching.

“The best part about this structure is I can give each junior more personal attention,” Kevin explains. “They really improve, enjoy it more, and many want to stay enrolled even after the six-week trial.”

Since making the switch, about a dozen juniors have stayed long-term, falling in love with the game that Kevin himself grew up with and is now passionate about sharing.

“Fayetteville isn’t usually considered a top place for golf, especially being so close to Pinehurst,” Kevin says. “But what we do know is that this area has a high population of juniors who could really benefit from golf and wouldn’t normally get the chance to play. There wasn’t a local program targeting at-risk youth. The closest First Tee chapter was all the way in Pinehurst. We thought Fayetteville could be the perfect proving ground for a program like ours.”

Kevin says the shift to the new format has been smooth. “Honestly, I didn’t encounter many challenges with the change,” he explains. “It made families more consistent about showing up, simplified things for them, and let me focus more on each student.” This approach shows their commitment to making golf accessible and practical for local families while ensuring every participant receives quality instruction.

Perhaps the best measure of success comes from the kids themselves. There’s the young girl who started at age 11 and immediately fell in love with the game. “She’s very focused on academics but has let golf be her outlet,” Kevin says proudly. “She’s advanced to Level 5 in Operation 36 and will be one of my 13u All-Stars this season.”

Then there’s the 13-year-old boy who lives right in King’s Grant. “On decent weather days he walks to class. He’s progressed quickly to Level 3. The fact that he chooses to walk to class shows me how determined he is to excel, and he hits everything cross-handed!”

The program’s impact has rippled far beyond just the enrolled families. “I’ve heard nothing but positive things,” Kevin says. “Parents love how quickly their kids fall in love with golf thanks to the smaller group sizes and the fun we build in. We even partnered with the Fayetteville Police Activity League (PAL). Many of their kids, and even some officers, have found or rediscovered their joy for golf through this program.”

For Kevin, this effort is about much more than teaching grip, stance, and swing. “I grew up around golf—not super competitive, but exposed early to the fun of it and the challenges that mirror real life,” he explains. “Not everyone gets that chance. Some kids don’t have an easy ride. I wanted golf to be an escape or outlet they can use however long they want. It’s helped me see a different side of things as a PGA Professional.”

And his vision for the program doesn’t stop at King’s Grant. “I hope this program can evolve beyond one facility or even one county,” Kevin says. “There may not be many PGA Professionals solely teaching in Cumberland County, but that doesn’t mean this idea has to stay here. I’d love to see it grow and serve as a model for other programs and fraternities to develop their own charitable, developmental golf programs.”

It’s a vision that embodies the PGA’s commitment to using golf to build stronger communities, one junior golfer at a time.

The partnership with Dr. Dickerson’s fraternity, Sigma Pi Phi, has been essential to this success. Their dedication to mentoring local youth, paired with King’s Grant Golf Academy’s resources, has created an environment where kids feel supported, engaged, and encouraged to thrive both on and off the course.

Click here to learn more about Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity in partnership with Operations 36!