2024 IGA Yearbook

125 the game in Iowa, recognize the achievements of so many great players from our state, revisit the many signature events that have been held here, and take pride in the additional work our foundation does for the game. And that’s just the main floor! Walk down the stairs and you’ll see simulators, an indoor practice green, classroom space, and an artificial outdoor short game area that rivals anything in the state. We built this facility for all of you…the golfers in our great state. It’s open Monday through Friday, and we’d love to see you there. I want to take one more opportunity to thank the hundreds of donors that made this dream a reality. Without your support, we would have never reached this amazing finish line. Thank you! So…we’ve built the house. Now what? Now we turn our attention to maximize every opportunity we have to use this amazing facility to spread our mission for the game. At its core, the IGA Foundation’s mission is to, “Promote and Advance the game of golf in Iowa as an amateur sport”. How does Golf House Iowa help us do that? Here are a few ways… Providing a safe space in the winter months for the First Tee Central Iowa to teach their curriculum to youth from all backgrounds. Creating an interactive learning experience for youth golfers and high school golf teams to learn the Rules of Golf from the best rules officials in the state. Inspiring players of all ages and abilities with tours of the Hall of Fame & Museum that teach you the amazing history of the game in Iowa. There’s more to come, but we’re incredibly excited about all the opportunities to engage with our membership in a way we’ve never been able to before. Beyond Golf House Iowa, there was a lot more going on with the Foundation this year. We had an amazing class that was inducted into the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame this fall. Michael Coppola, Bill Dickens, Clark Burroughs, Greg Ladehoff, and Bill Smith were the first class to be inducted at our new facility, and the event was truly a night to remember. Congratulations to this year’s class! On the scholarship front, both the Sani and Griffel Scholarship Committees continue to work diligently to raise funds with hopes of increasing both the value and the tenure of the scholarships. Leighann LaRocca (Chair of the Griffel) and I are consistently amazed with the quality of applicants we get each year for our scholarships. This year was no different. Congratulations toCrewKlingner, DrewDeGabriele, Hannah Pettit, and Makenna Carlson on being named this year’s Sani Scholars. And congratulations to Isabella Pettersen, Brenna Bodensteiner, Olivia Axmear, Avery Lichter, and Malania Elliott on being named this year’s Griffel Scholars. We’re expecting great things from each of you! So that’s a wrap! Again…thanks to everyone who chooses to contribute to the IGA Foundation.