The Junior Golf Association of Arizona with the sponsorship of The Thunderbirds, in conjunction with the Parks and Recreation Department’s of the City of Phoenix, Glendale, Mesa, Peoria, Scottsdale, Tempe, Surprise and Goodyear at one of their locations, will stage the Itty Bitty Open on Saturday, January 21. Starting times are 9am, 10am and 11am. Sue Shindler-Montello and the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department founded the Itty Bitty Open in 1988. 

Held at 13 different locations throughout the Valley of the Sun, the Itty Bitty Open is FREE and  open to youngsters ages 3, 4 and 5. Each participant will receive an Itty Bitty Open set of plastic golf clubs and balls in a plastic golf bag along with an Itty Bitty Open visor, at no charge. Basic golf instruction will be given by PGA and LPGA Golf Professionals and then, along with their adult caddie (parent/relative), will try out their new skills in a non-competitive “tournament” on a specially-designed nine-hole course.

A special “Best Dressed” player/caddie contest will be held at each site and each session. The winners will receive a congratulatory letter, trophy and two tickets to the R.S. Hoyt, Jr. Dream Day Activities on Monday, January 30th at the 2012 Waste Management Phoenix Open where a contest will be held to determine the “Best Dressed” from all the sites.

“Over the past 23 years, the Itty Bitty Open has provided a marvelous opportunity for kids to be introduced to the great game of golf in a non-competitive atmosphere,” said Tom Cunningham, Executive Director of the Junior Golf Association of Arizona. “All of us at the JGAA look forward to the Itty Bitty Open each year and who knows, we might be looking at the next up and coming professional golfer at one of our sites.”

The 2012 Itty Bitty Open will be played at the following locations: Cashman Park, Deer Valley Park, Desert West Park, Paseo Highlands Park, Pecos Park, Washington Activity Center, Legends at Arrowhead Golf Course, Palm Valley Golf Course, Mesa-Riverview Park, Rio Vista Community Park, Scottsdale Ranch Park, Surprise Stadium and Tempe-Benedict Field #1. Over 600 kids are expected to tee it up in this year’s Itty Bitty Open.

The event is free and applications will be available at the various parks and recreation centers or on line at the Junior Golf Association of Arizona web site, www.jgaa.org.

For more information on the 2012 Itty Bitty Open or to register, contact the JGAA office at 602.944.6168 or visit their web site at www.jgaa.org.