Playing golf and giving back have always been important aspects of Nick Leibold’s life. For the past few years, he has combined the two passions so successfully that he was named the recipient of the prestigious USGA-AJGA 2015 President’s Leadership Award.

The United States Golf Association (USGA) and the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) choose one boy and one girl junior golfer in the nation for this annual award based on their demonstration of leadership, character, and community service through the AJGA’s Leadership Links program. Since 2009, Leadership Links has been teaching junior golfers how to use their love for the game to give back to their own communities.

Leibold, a current senior and co-captain of the Heritage High School boys golf team, had already been volunteering at Heritage through the Unified Eagles (Special Olympics) basketball program and as a mentor for freshmen when, in 2014, he decided to broaden his charity efforts. Through the AJGA’s Birdies for Charity program, nearly 70 donors gave pledges for every birdie he made at tournaments during the summer of 2014. Leibold raised more than $6,000 that summer and earned $5,000 in matching grants from the AJGA. $8,000 was donated to The First Tee of Denver, and $3,000 went to the AJGA ACE Grant. Leibold’s combined donation of $11,000 was one of the top three in the nation and earned him a nomination and the opportunity to apply for the President’s Leadership Award. Being selected for the award meant the opportunity to play a round of golf with professional golfer Rickie Fowler last November and a spot in the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions in Oregon last June.

Leibold’s donations provided the opportunity for 80 aspiring junior golfers to participate in The First Tee of Denver this past summer. “I learned two things from Rickie Fowler: I need to practice, and I should always give back,” said Leibold. He says he believes the real heroes in life are people like Heritage High School United Eagles sponsor Kelli Glorso-McCabe who make a true difference in people’s lives. “I encourage everyone to find a charity they believe in and find a way to raise money for it,” said Leibold.

(Leibold is raising money for First Tee of Denver again this year through the Birdies for Charity campaign and has already raised more than $8,500!) 

Photos courtesy of Debbie Leibold