PGA REACH Announces Three Coaches from the Carolinas PGA Selected for 2025 PGA REACH Opportunity Leagues

Greensboro, NC — The Carolinas PGA Section is proud to announce that three of its coaches have been selected to lead PGA REACH Opportunity League programs in 2025. This national recognition highlights the Carolinas PGA’s ongoing commitment to inclusion, access, and growing the game at the grassroots level.

After a competitive application and review process, three outstanding coaches from the Carolinas PGA Section have been selected to lead Opportunity League programs in 2025:

• Kevin Martin, PGA – Kings Grant Golf & Country Club (Fayetteville, NC), in partnership with the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity

• Doug Hodges, PGA – Hillandale Golf Course (Durham, NC), in partnership with SwingPals

• Bob Brooks, PGA – Gillespie Golf Course (Greensboro, NC), in partnership with First Tee – Central Carolina

Opportunity Leagues are designed to provide junior golfers from under-resourced communities with completely barrier-free access to the game. All participation costs, including coaching, transportation, facility access, equipment, and uniforms, are fully covered through PGA REACH, the charitable foundation of the PGA of America.

“We are incredibly proud to see three of our own coaches recognized on a national stage,” said Jeff Abbot, Executive Director & CEO of the Carolinas PGA. “Kevin, Doug, and Bob have built community-driven programs that not only teach golf, but also change lives. Their work embodies everything the Opportunity League stands for, access, mentorship, and meaningful inclusion.”

Each of the selected programs has demonstrated deep local impact:

• In Fayetteville, Kevin Martin’s collaboration with the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity has connected over 200 youth to golf, creating a pipeline from introductory clinics to his year-round academy.

• In Durham, Doug Hodges and SwingPals have built a mindfulness-based golf and mentoring program that supports youth development well beyond the course.

• In Greensboro, Bob Brooks’ partnership with First Tee – Central Carolina brings Title I students to Gillespie for PGA Jr. League-style matches paired with life skills education, offered entirely free of charge.

The 2025 Opportunity Leagues are part of a growing national effort to broaden access to the game. Each site will serve as a model of how golf can thrive as a community-first, inclusive sport.

For more information about PGA REACH and the Opportunity League initiative, visit www.pgareach.org.