Asher Castenson Named Charlie Burkart Scholarship Honoree –
The Iowa PGA Foundation Charlie Burkart Scholarship committee has selected Asher Castenson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa as the 2026 Charlie Burkart Scholarship honoree.
This fall, Castenson will be attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to major in Professional Golf Management (PGM). Through the PGM program he will be playing lots of tournaments every semester, fine tuning his golf game. While participating in the PGM program, his goal is to learn how to teach others the game of golf.
When asked on what this means to win, Castenson responded with, “I am truly honored and grateful to have received the Charlie Burkart Scholarship! This scholarship means the world to me because it helps alleviate my worry of paying for college and allows me to pursue my goal of teaching kids the game of golf.”
Following Castenson’s education, he plans to implement classes that will teach kids how to play golf. By implementing classes, kids would be taught swing paths, eyes on the ball, shoulder positioning, and other parts of a golf swing. Then by participating in tournaments, these kids would use the skills that they learned to compete with other peers to feel appreciated, seen by others, and receive awards.
In addition, he would work with a golf manufacturer to receive equipment and golf attire for these kids at a severely discounted cost. With help from a golf manufacturer, he wouldn’t have to expect kids who sign up for the classes to bring their own clubs and attire or even buy their own clubs and attire if they do not previously own any. If the cost to play were cheaper, more kids would get hooked on the game of golf, they wouldn’t be bored or getting into trouble and would be learning life skills. The kids would learn to deal with adversity, master patience, and control their temper. It would entice them to pick up a sport that seems daunting, tackle it head on, and achieve excellence and a love for the game.
Asher started playing golf when he was 2 years old. His parents and grandparents would take him out to the golf course and teach him how to hit the golf ball. He has been playing in golf tournaments since he was 9 years old. He was blessed to play Varsity Golf all 4 years of High School. Through the teaching of his coaches and playing in lots of tournaments, he has improved every year. One of the reasons his parents encouraged him to play golf more than other sports is because he has a bleeding disorder. With him having a bleeding disorder he couldn’t participate in full contact activities, such as football, wrestling, and hockey. However, his bleeding disorder directed him into playing golf, because it is a low contact sport.
Dave Messerli, Head Boys Golf Coach at Marion Independent School District, “Asher has steadily developed his golf game during his high school career, and moved from the 6th position up to the 2nd
position of our very competitive team, which has been a state tournament contender during his tenure. Asher’s work ethic is second to none. Asher comes to practice early and is one of the last to leave. He is a quiet leader with impeccable demeanor and has developed the ability to succeed in pressure-filled situations. Asher has earned Wamac All-Conference and All-Metro recognition among the Cedar Rapids area school districts.”
Sam Anderson, Pastor at Veritas Church in Cedar Rapids, “I have had the privilege of watching Asher Castenson become a steady, hardworking, caring, and principled young man. I first met Asher when he began attending the Youth Ministry that I was leading at our church. Asher was not the most talkative kid in the group, but he was committed. He quickly found a role where he could contribute regularly and began serving on our tech team. This was not due to a flippant response to an invitation; rather, he sought out the opportunity to contribute and did so in a calculated way, counting the costs and committing himself to be a dependable part of a team. Asher is rather mature in this way. Being that he is his parents’ only child and has faced some significant medical challenges, which began prior to his birth, he has adapted to being accustomed to being forward-thinking and logical in how he approaches decisions and situations.”
The Iowa PGA Congratulates Asher Castenson as our 2026 Charlie Burkart Scholarship Award Winners.
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