OMAHA, NE — At the PGA REACH Nebraska Foundation, we are always looking for creative ways to bring the game of golf to young people. This year, we were thrilled when our friends at Lake Cunningham (“The C”) invited us to join their fantastic youth programming and add golf into their regular rotation of hands-on outdoor activities!

Known across Omaha for giving kids unforgettable outdoor experiences, Lake Cunningham’s programs feature a diverse lineup of classic activities, from archery, kayaking, and fishing to capture the flag, fire building, and campfire cooking. Having the opportunity to set up alongside these traditional favorites allowed us to introduce golf in a way that felt like a natural, low-pressure extension of a full day of park fun.

Meeting Kids Where the Action Is

Since reopening in 2021, the Lake Cunningham team has done a remarkable job providing youth programs at no cost to families and partnering with local non-profits to bring kids out into nature.

When the Lake Cunningham team opened their doors to us, our goal was simple: seamlessly blend into their station rotation and show kids that swinging a golf club can be just as exciting as hitting a bullseye in archery or playing a round of capture the flag.

“Lake Cunningham has built an incredible environment for outdoor learning. Being invited to plug our team into their existing rotation of stations, right next to activities like archery and campfires, gave us an amazing platform to share our love of golf with kids who might never have tried it otherwise.” — Seth Scollard, PGA

High-Energy Fun: Golfzilla & SNAG Golf

To fit right in with the high-energy, hands-on vibe of Lake Cunningham’s existing activities, we brought along specialized, kid-friendly equipment designed for maximum fun:

  • Golfzilla: A crowd favorite! Our giant inflatable dinosaur target gave kids a larger-than-life goal to aim for, turning basic swing practice into a friendly game where every successful hit brought huge cheers from the group.
  • SNAG Golf Gear: Using SNAG (Starting New At Golf) equipment, featuring oversized, forgiving clubheads and soft tennis-style balls, participants were able to pick up the basics of launching and pitching in just a few minutes before rotating to their next park adventure.

Fitting seamlessly into Lake Cunningham’s action-packed schedule gave us the perfect opportunity to break down traditional barriers around golf. We showed these young athletes that you don’t need a formal course to fall in love with the game, just a club, an open green space, and a lot of enthusiasm.

Building Lasting Outdoor Memories Together

Partnering with Lake Cunningham this year has been a highlight for PGA REACH Nebraska. Seeing kids rotate from traditional park games straight over to our Golfzilla station and light up with confidence on their very first swing is what our foundation is all about.

We extend a huge thank you to the Lake Cunningham team for letting us join their program lineup, and we can’t wait to keep working together to introduce Omaha youth to new sports and lasting outdoor memories!

About the PGA REACH Nebraska

PGA REACH Nebraska is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization and the charitable arm of the Nebraska Section PGA. PGA REACH Nebraska is program-based and supported by the Nebraska Section PGA Golf Professionals. PGA REACH Nebraska’s mission is to positively impact lives through the game of golf. The Foundation has 3 core pillars of focus: Military, Youth and Inclusion. Each pillar is supported by programs that are executed to carry out our mission.