How This Par-Tee Got Started

Photo by Lawrence Tabudlo

Like most other parents, Guy Moriwaki has only ever wanted what was best for his child.

So when his 7-year-old son, Ryker, approached him one day back in 2011 and said he wanted to learn the game of golf, Moriwaki sprang into action. He began looking into the junior golf programs out there, hoping to find one that championed values beyond skills development, expert coaching and competitive play.

“What I wanted for my son was a program that emphasized fun, friendship and a positive introduction to the game,” Moriwaki recalls. “I wanted him to enjoy being on the golf course with other kids, build confidence, learn good sportsmanship and develop a lifelong love for golf rather than feel pressure to compete before he was ready.”

Moriwaki tried out a few of the available organizations, but he wasn’t convinced they were the right fit for his family. And he wasn’t the only one who felt this way. He says other parents believed that they and their children were a mismatch with their golf associations.

“I’m not bad-mouthing any of the other associations out there because, sure, they’re excellent,” Moriwaki notes. “But some of (the parents) had never played golf themselves and were unfamiliar with the culture, rules, costs and pathways within the sport, and there wasn’t an organization dedicated to helping families navigate that journey together.”

Unwilling to settle for what was at hand, Moriwaki instead chose a high-risk, high-reward path forward. In golfing terms, he essentially decided to go for the green by establishing his own nonprofit.

Thus, the same year that his son first approached him about learning to play the game, Moriwaki christened his newfound organization, Junior Golf Association of Hawaiʻi. Since then, JGAH has welcomed into its fold an estimated 2,000 young golfers, many of whom were first-time players, teaching them the rules and nuances of the game while also emphasizing valuable life skills such as respect, integrity, character and honor.

Next month, the association officially celebrates its 15th anniversary, a milestone that will be recognized at its year-end banquet in November.

Naturally, no one is more tickled at the growth and success of the organization than the founder himself.

“I believe we’re one of the biggest associations now. Today, we have about 150 kids, all between the ages of 7 to 18,” says Moriwaki.

In recalling that fateful day when he met with a few parents at the Newtown Golf Driving Range, promising them that their organization would succeed before heading home to begin drafting bylaws for the new junior golf program, Moriwaki says the goal was to create something that was “more than just a tournament series.”

“We wanted to build a community where young golfers could develop friendships, where parents felt welcomed and supported and where families could learn about the game together,” he explains. “Competition has always been part of the experience, but it has never been the sole focus.”

Despite his leading role in establishing JGAH, Moriwaki — who also serves as the organization’s president and event manager — is quick to credit others.

“It wasn’t just me that created the organization. I had a bunch of families that shared the same passion that I did,” he says, adding that those “founding fathers and mothers” included John Caro, Wes Sakamoto, Albert Newman, Randy Furusho, Danny Lau,
Robin Hue, Paul Chinen, and Wes and Stacy Ujimori.

He continues: “When I shared the concept of creating a junior golf organization centered on fun, friendship, family involvement and player development, these individuals stepped forward and became partners in building something special for Hawaiʻi’s youth. They volunteered countless hours, helped organize events, welcomed new families and shaped the culture that continues to define JGAH today.”

Baseball great Hank Aaron once quipped that it took him 17 years to produce 3,000 hits in the major leagues — and just one afternoon on the golf course to equal that number.

Yes, golf can be a challenging and frustrating game at times, but experiencing the highs and lows with friends — all while developing resilience, patience, accountability, good sportsmanship and discipline — makes the sport a worthwhile endeavor to many.

It’s why JGAH has been so important to scores of Hawaiʻi’s young golfers.

“I get to play the game I love the most and have fun,” says Amelia Silva, 14, who attends Hawaiʻi Technology Academy.

“I joined JGAH to make friends in golf,
play new courses and have experience in
tournaments,” adds Punahou School’s Samuel Lee, 11.

Moanalua High School senior Lia Choi signed up for JGAH when she was in elementary school and has been “stuck with them ever since.”

“They are such a thoughtful organization and they make the time to get to know the kids,” Choi says. “Hands down, they have the best drinks and snacks!

“But the best part about JGAH is the support you have,” she adds. “A lot of my closest friends grew up playing JGAH together and we spread out to other organizations after that. The thing about JGAH is that you know everyone, not just the kids in your age division. I know the parents, the volunteers, the board members.

“It just feels like they’ve built a community that supports junior golfers and everyone only wants the best for us.”

One of the more appealing aspects of JGAH is it helps youngsters gain access to local golf tournaments and the U.S. Golf Handicap Information Network, without regard to a family’s socioeconomic status. Of special note is a regional qualifier that JGAH hosts to help junior golfers earn spots in the prestigious, invitation-only Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship. Held each January at the historic Biltmore Golf Course in Coral Gables, Florida, this highly competitive tournament features a worldwide field of 48 boys and 36 girls.

“The Orange Bowl is one of the most respected junior golf events in the world and has featured future stars such as Tiger Woods, Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia and Lexi Thompson,” notes Moriwaki. “More recently, the tournament has continued its tradition as a proving ground for the next generation of talent, including Charlie Woods, the son of Tiger Woods, and Cameron Kuchar, son of PGA Tour professional Matt Kuchar.

“So, we’re one of the lucky few associations to have access to the Orange Bowl,” he continues. “If you go through the normal circuit in junior golf to get there, you’d have to win two or three big tournaments on the mainland. But here with our association, you just got to win the qualifier.

“For us, it’s like a shortcut into the Orange Bowl.”

In preparing for the association’s 15th anniversary, Moriwaki remains grateful to the families and volunteers who came together so many years ago to partner in a shared vision.

“The success of JGAH is not measured solely by tournament results,” he says. “It is measured by the young people whose lives have been positively shaped through the game and the families who found a place where they belong.”

In the end, he adds, it was always about “fun, friends and family.”

As Drew Tom, a 16-year-old student at Punahou School, says, “JGAH creates a place where friendships are made, sportsmanship matters and every tournament is a chance to learn. It’s a place where we all can compete at a high level while still feeling like we’re part of one big golf family.”

To learn more about the golf association, visit jgah.org.