As PXG continues to serve golfers in the greater Atlanta area, the company is also determined to put its extensive product research and development background and its unabashed love of the game to work for the community. Recently, PXG partnered with STEM Atlanta Women to provide local students with a new perspective on golf through the lens of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and sports.
PXG hosted "The Science of Golf" experience at PXG Atlanta in Buckhead, Georgia. The immersive program featured four interactive experiments developed and led by PXG Engineers and Master Fitters. Activities ranged from solving coefficient of restitution (COR) equations and determining putting angles to calculating smash factor and crushing drives in PXG's golf simulators.
The participants were members of STEM Atlanta Women. This nonprofit was created to enlighten, educate, and empower young black women and girls to take advantage of global opportunities in STEM. The organization offers master classes, innovative programs, tech labs, conferences, and entrepreneurial events to increase the talent pipeline in the industry and provide young girls with the tools needed to build a successful future.
"We are focused on enhancing and increasing the talent pipeline for women and girls in STEM - specifically, black and brown girls from underserved and underrepresented communities, said Dr. Maxine Cain, Founder and CEO of STEM Atlanta Women. "We are focused on emerging and advanced tech to provide these young women with the skills they need to be successful in the 21st Century. We were so excited for the program at PXG Atlanta, which introduced them to the science of golf and the industry's numerous career opportunities."
"Supporting these young women through the various activities was incredible," said PXG Product Test Engineer Grace Wilson. "Seeing them get excited about golf and science and math and hearing them say they want to play more or become a mechanical engineer reinforced the importance of creating this type of opportunity."
The actual program started with a brief Golf 101 seminar that led the girls through the basics of the game. The girls then broke into groups to participate in the STEM activities before they were treated to a special guest appearance. NFL Hall of Fame running back and Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jerome Bettis stopped by PXG Atlanta to talk with the students about finding and taking advantage of opportunities so that they can be even more successful in life.
Bettis shared, "Kids of color have often been excluded from this game, and every step we take to include and provide opportunity does a couple of things. It opens their eyes to a wonderful game and lets them see another industry. For PXG to extend itself in this way was amazing."
Following the PXG Atlanta in-store experience, the students traveled to the John A. White Golf Course to put their newfound knowledge to the test on the range.
As the day ended, Wilson reminded the women not to let anybody tell them that they don't belong in this space or they can't do something. "If you put your mind to it and believe in yourself, you can go as far as you want."
To further expand the experience, PXG, #MakeGolfYouThing, and the TOUR Championship have partnered to provide tickets for the girls to attend the tournament at East Lake Golf Club this August. The experience will welcome these students in to enjoy the PGA TOUR’s season ending championship and give them a behind the scenes experience to see how STEM competencies are a critical part of careers in golf.
The PXG Atlanta STEM experience was the last in a series of programming in June centered around celebrating women in golf. Other activities included PXG Women's Day to Play, a global team initiative created and led by President and Executive Creative Director of PXG Apparel Renee Parsons. The marquee opportunity saw record participation across multiple continents, including North America, the United Kingdom, and Japan. PXG also released PXG Pro Tips with Rob Riggle: LPGA Edition – a must-watch for everyone. Click here to watch the series.
PXG is dedicated to developing the world's finest golf equipment and apparel and ensuring the future of golf is open to everyone. Learn more by following @pxg on social or visiting www.PXG.com.
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