November 2025 - The Sunshine Effect

New partnership with CPD highlights impactful year of CDGA Sunshine Programs
This article appeared in the November 2025 edition of Chicago District Golfer.
To read more Chicago District Golfer stories, head to our article archive.

Conducted with support from a variety of entities, including the Chicago Police Department and CDGA, three Play Like a Champion Youth Golf Days took place in 2025.

Chicago Police Department (CPD) Superintendent Larry Snelling is the first to admit he is not a golfer. “I just want everyone to know right now that you will not get any pictures of me looking like Charles Barkley,” he said in jest when announcing a partnership between the CPD and CDGA at CDGA Town Square Opening Drive presented by Wintrust Financial Corporation in February.

However, that didn’t stop him from quickly embracing how the game could benefit his community and officers.

With financial support from Wintrust, the CDGA brought together the CPD, Troon, Chicago Park District, First Tee – Greater Chicago, Kids Golf Foundation and Jackson Park Golf Association to conduct three Play Like a Champion Youth Golf Days in 2025. The events – which took place at South Shore Golf Course, Marquette Park Golf Course and Columbus Park Golf Course – provided an opportunity for the city’s youth to learn more about the game of golf, while also giving CPD officers a chance to build stronger connections with local juniors.

“Not only are you being exposed to a new sport, a new game, you’re being exposed to our officers – to sit down, talk with them, team up with them, have mentorship,” Snelling said in an interview with CBS Chicago. “Understand that they’re human and that we can all talk, we can all get along, we can partner. And that these officers care.”

Each event featured a variety of ways the participants from each course’s local community and CPD oicers could interact. Golf-focused activities, including Starting New at Golf (SNAG) equipment and short-game/putting instruction, were complemented by bounce houses, a DJ, and a tug-of-war event.

“To bring the kids in the inner city together with the police officers, I thought it was a great idea and a great match,” said Theo Hill, who brought his daughter, Layla, to the South Shore festivities. Youth weren’t the only ones on-site whose passion for the game grew throughout the summer. The CPD officers in attendance visibly took a more active role in the golf elements in each event.

“From the officers’ perspective, we know that they go through the trials and tribulations,” said the CDGA’s Mike Gilligan. “We have used golf as a therapeutic tool with veterans and now our officers.”

Look no further than Snelling, who abandoned his February decree and participated in the SNAG long drive contest as part of the Columbus Park event in August – cameras clicking away.

“I was in from the moment the idea was brought to my attention,” he said. “Just the opportunity to expose kids to this game was exciting.”

The second Chicago Adaptive Open is one of the initiatives that comprises of adaptive CDGA Sunshine Programs.

The Play Like a Champion Youth Golf Program was but one of numerous ways the adaptive, therapeutic and youth CDGA Sunshine Programs impacted disabled and veteran communities. In total, these programs made more than 13,000 lives better through golf. Highlights included:

Adaptive

• The Chicago Adaptive Open thrived in its second year, welcoming 78 contestants from around the world to Fox Bend Golf Course for elite adaptive golf competition June 21-22. With support from new presenting sponsor Illinois Bone & Joint Institute and major sponsors Wintrust and Wadsworth, the event purse doubled to $30,000.
• The CDGA partnered with the United States Adaptive Golf Alliance (USAGA) to sponsor 36 six-week adaptive golf clinics at local middle and high schools.
• In conjunction with the Hines VA Hospital’s Central Blind Rehabilitation Center, 10 Blind Veteran Golf Outings were conducted at private clubs throughout the Chicago District.

Therapeutic

• Now in its 26th year, the Sunshine Through Golf Camp Program consisted of 68 events in 2025. These camps were conducted at 28 golf facilities in partnership with 23 Special Recreation Associations and private organizations, reaching over 900 individuals in total.
• The CDGA received the “Supporter of the Year” award from the Maine-Niles Special Recreation Association for its long-standing golf program at the Golf Center of Des Plaines.
• More than 700 veterans took part in 65 CDGA-sponsored veteran golf clinics put on by RevelationGolf. Clinics were hosted at the Bob Berry Sunshine Course, Great Lakes Naval Base and Cantigny Golf.

The CDGA awarded $50,000 in scholarships for the 2025-26 school year, which included a $5,000 CDGA | UVS Swing Club Veteran Scholarship for Bolingbrook native Gabrielle Markham Elliott.

Youth

• CDGA Youth Membership soared above 10,000 individuals, with participants receiving rounds of golf for $5 or less through Youth on Course.
• The CDGA awarded $50,000 in scholarships to 10 individuals. The program includes the CDGA | UVS Swing Club Veteran Scholarship, CDGA | IWGA Julia Dodds Scholarship, CDGA | JPGA Walter & Nettie George Speedy Scholarship, CDGA | Brent Wadsworth Scholarship and CDGA | Folds of Honor Scholarship.
• Women’s golf teams from Augustana College, Aurora University, Bradley University, Carl Sandburg College, Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Lewis University, Loyola University Chicago, Millikin University, North Central College, Northern Illinois University and Rock Valley College were each awarded a $2,000 grant from the CDGA for the 2025-26 school year.