Last year, Bank of America and Youth on Course held their inaugural Golf with Us program, offering $5 rounds of golf to make the sport more accessible to young people.
Golf with Us returns this year for Chicago-area kids ages 6 through 18, who can sign up for a free one-year membership for Youth on Course, which provides access to thousands of golf courses across the country for less than $5 a round. Columbus Park Golf Course is the only participating course on Chicago’s West Side. The next closest courses are Indian Boundary near O’Hare airport and Edgebrook Golf Course.
Rita Cook, president of Bank of America Chicago, said in a statement that Golf with Us is “a vital investment in the future of our young people right here in Chicago. It’s about breaking down barriers and making golf truly accessible and affordable for the next generation. Through Golf with Us, we’re nurturing the important life skills that will shape who these kids become on and off the course.”
In its first year in 2025, Golf with Us helped over 3,600 Chicago youth, including many first-time golfers, get a free Youth on Course membership. They played over 4,400 rounds of golf across Chicagoland.
Last year’s Chicagoland Golf with Us participants primarily came from the northern and northwest suburbs, though a sizeable number of participants were also from the Mount Greenwood neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side
On Aug. 17, there will be a Golf with Us clinic in Chicago, where professional golf players and instructors will help teach kids relevant skills.
“Golf teaches powerful life lessons, how to compete, stay patient, and handle setbacks, and those lessons shape who you become,” said Rory McIlroy, who won both last year’s and this year’s Masters Tournament, in a statement. “Opening access to the game is key to giving more kids that opportunity.” Mcllory donated $500,000 to Youth on Course to fund 70,000 rounds of golf this year.
Enroll in Golf with Us until June 15 at BofA.com/GolfwithUs