Polish-American Golf Association (PAGA) was founded in 1997 by a small group of golf enthusiasts of Polish origin from the states of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In the early years, the activity focused on organizing joint meetings, small tournaments and promoting this activity in search of new members in various parts of the USA. In 2000, the organization grew to such a size that its founders decided to officially register it as “not for profit” and expand its activities also in the field of charity, focusing especially on helping Polish children. In its achievements, the organization has already achieved considerable achievements when it comes to promoting Polish golf in America. PAGA brings together Polish players from almost all states of the east coast, not forgetting also players from Canada.

The organization also cooperates very closely with the Polonia clubs Podhale Golf Club and Polish American Golf Club of Chicago from Illinois, who joined the promoters of this great sport in 2003 and the youngest in the ranks of the Polonia golf club: Polonia Golf Club from Chicago and White Eagles Golf Club (today Polish American Golf Club Michigan) from Michigan and Polish Canadian Golf (today Polish Canadian Amatour Championship). Events such as: The US Polsat Television Cup Tournament, which in 2009 celebrated its 10th jubilee, and in recent years was replaced by ŻYWIEC Cup tournament, have already become a tradition. Also, TV & Radio Kaleidoscope Open is an unforgettable history, Penn Classic, NY Open or Connecticut Open (once played at a magnificent private facility of Yale University in New Haven) or traditional and long-term inter-club meetings of the Polonia Rider Cup. However, the greatest pride of the organization is the Polonia Open by Żywiec in Florida, which has established itself as the largest and most prestigious Polish diaspora tournament in the world with a 20-year tradition and the rank of the Polish World Golf Championship. Until 2015, this event was held under the patronage of the Senate of the Republic of Poland, and since 2016 under the patronage of the Polish Olympic Committee.

Of course, we must not forget that the PAGA association is one of the few and maybe the only sports organization outside the country that has received special awards from the Polish Golf Union, the Polish Olympic Committee and the Senate of the Republic of Poland for spreading and promoting sport among the Polish diaspora around the world. In recent years, the cooperation between PAGA and the Polish Golf Union (PZG), which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and is the older brother of our organization, has tightened very much and representatives of both organizations are constantly working on its further expansion.

The visits of American Poles to tournaments in Poland have also gone down in tradition. Tournaments such as the Polonia Cup (played in Międzyzdroje at the Amber Baltic Golf Club, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2020), or the Polonia Games, where in 2009 in Toruń the PAGA member from Michigan – Kazimierz Magda became the gold medalist. The variety of courses in Poland and a very large number of tournaments make it easier for our players to take part in them from April to November. From year to year, our native land is enriched with new, beautiful championship golf courses. In 2006, new courses opened in Wrocław (TOYA Golf Club, where the European Challenge Tour tournament is played) and Częstochowa (Rosa Golf Club). The list of clubs is growing at a surprising pace and in 2015 there were over 50 of them in Poland.

Every year, the golf brotherhood of enthusiasts of this popular nowadays and for Poles and Poles still new sport is growing. All members of PAGA, along with the management board, cordially invite everyone to cooperate, have fun and rest, which is always guided by a worthy goal.

Greetings

Paweł Gąsior
President PAGA