USGA and Los Angeles Country Club partner for community outreach ahead of US Open

In anticipation of the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at Los Angeles Country Club (LACC), the United States Golf Association (USGA) announced several community outreach efforts in the host city.

The USGA will donate $1 million to restore the Maggie Hathaway Golf Course, a nine-hole, par-3 public facility operated by Los Angeles County that provides thousands in the area with affordable, accessible golf.

The association will join with the Southern California Golf Association (SCGA), LACC, Los Angeles County and several other organizations and donors to bring the project to life. Gil Hanse will lead the restoration project.

“Year-over-year, host communities welcome the U.S. Open, and we recognize the importance of investing back into them to leave a legacy that is felt beyond our game,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan. “We are fortunate to have partners like the SCGA and LACC who believe in the power that golf can have on a community and will continue to collaborate on initiatives that create more opportunities for people to work, play, experience and enjoy the game.”

USGA will also welcome 20 college undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds to Los Angeles for the USGA Pathways Internship Program, a weeklong immersive experience that exposes participants to the many career paths in golf.

Showcasing its commitment to invest $30 million in the next 15 years, the association will advance water resilience on California golf courses with university research, demonstrations of emerging maintenance technologies, and consulting and outreach activities.

The USGA says as much as a 45 percent reduction in water usage will be made possible by employing the strategies that will be advanced through the program. This includes continued grant funding to the University of California-Riverside to develop drought-resistant turfgrasses, educational symposiums in the state, and demonstration projects at Los Serranos Golf Club in Chino Hills and other courses designed to encourage the use of water-saving techniques.