The Girls Performance Initiative Mission:

1

Conduct a regional amateur women’s competition which allows Kansas City area residents and junior golfers the opportunity to gauge their abilities to the area’s best players – The Prairie Invitational.

2

To offer local development and playing opportunities for the area’s best junior players.

3

To remove barriers to competition for girls in our region with grants/scholarships for competition both locally and nationally.

4

To provide grants to high school teams and organizations working to promote and grow girls golf in Kansas City and Kansas.

“The LPGA Leadership Academy was a stepping stone into fueling my love for golf and it fostered a sense of self-confidence that I used in my tournaments.”

Girls Performance Initiative Scholarship Recipient

Apply for a Grant or Scholarship

Grants and Scholarships are available for:

  • Junior tour memberships/event fees
  • Major championship event fees (Women’s Match Play, Women’s Am, The Prairie if invited, Kansas Junior Am, KC Junior, KC Girls Match Play, Kansas Girls Match Play, PGA Jr Qualifier, Optimist Jr Qualifier)
  • Travel to national championships or events like LPGA Leadership Academies
  • High schools creating new girls golf teams or with golf teams to help purchase equipment/uniforms
  • Any program in need that benefits girls golf

Applications for grants can be submitted here. Applications should be sent by October 1 each year.

June 27 – 28, 2019 

The GPI selected four high school golfers to attend the LPGA Northwest Arkansas Championship in Rogers, Arkansas.  While there, they enjoyed a tour of the Golf Channel compound adjacent to the Pinnacle Country Club facility and spent some time with the crew behind the scenes of the Golf Channel broadcast.  They had the opportunity to watch the final practice round and the first round of competition.

June 26 – 28, 2018 

 The GPI selected four high school golfers to attend the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Kemper Lakes Golf Club outside of Chicago.  While there, they enjoyed a tour of the media center, observed interview in the interview room with Stacy Lewis, InBee Park, and US Women’s Olympians including Maia Shibutani and Nancy Kerrigan.  They had the opportunity to see the television compound, meet with the Director of Social Media for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and spend time with PGA of America Vice-President Suzy Whaley who is scheduled to become the first female president of the PGA of America in November 2018.

August 18 – 20, 2017

 The GPI selected four high school golfers to attend The Solheim Cup matches at Des Moines Golf & Country Club is Des Moines, Iowa.  They were able to enjoy two days of competition including Saturday Four Ball and Foursome matches and Sunday singles matches.  It was the first exposure to a match play environment for most of the attendees and showcased a great team environment.  The attendees had a great time shopping for and making Team USA apparel to wear while attending the matches.

June 23 – 24, 2016

A group of four high school golfers attended the practice round and first round of the Northwest Arkansas Championship. They had the opportunity to meet many LPGA stars, who were all very gracious to sign autographs, take photos, and visit with the girls during the practice round.  They met Lydia Ko, Ariya Jutanugarn, Brooke Henderson, Paula Creamer, and Morgan Pressel along with many other players.  They also had the opportunity to hit their first shots inside the ropes at an LPGA tour  event with Caroline Masson’s pro-am group.  On their free evening, they relaxed with a trip to BITE NW Arkansas, a food festival that featured the best chefs in the region presenting some of their specialty dishes, earning their aprons for visiting all the stations.

June 22 – 28, 2015

The Prairie Invitational will benefit the Girls Performance Initiative and all proceeds will go to the Golf Foundation of Kansas City.  This year, the KCGA will select a group of four girls to attend an all-expenses paid overnight stay for the 2015 NW Arkansas Championship in Rogers, AR. These girls will be selected by the KCGA for their dedication to women’s golf in the KC area and for their participation in Kansas City Junior events. These junior golfers will get a chance to meet LPGA stars, get autographs and watch some of the best players in the game.  The girls also had the opportunity to witness the ceremony of changing the caddie bib for a new World #1 player.  The caddie of the current World #1 wears a different bib from all other caddies, and there is a brief ceremony changing the bib on the first tee when a new World #1 competes in an event.