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Social Buttons      How does Miskanaw teach golf to over 700 kids in the snow?March 29th, 2012 10:26pm
Learning golf during the Canadian winter?! This is an AWESOME video that illustrates how you can teach the fundamentals of golf year round (indoors or out) in our local schools to get more new learners interested in golf and having FUN! Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation partners with SNAG Golf to connect family fun and golf instruction with a greater purposeMarch 21st, 2012 10:46am
The mission of the Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation is to provide opportunity for children and adults with family based health, fitness, education and inclusion programs delivered through family golf activities. The Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation, in partnership with the PGA of America and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition delivers programs in the USA through Lorena’s Links Community Programs, In-School/Parks & Recreation programs utilizing SNAG Golf, and at official Lorena’s Links golf facilities. The Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation journey is one to a healthier, educated, happier and included life for the entire family. We at SNAG are proud to help support their mission of connecting the links from golf to health, education, inclusion, family and happiness. The Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation reaches out to children and families through Lorena’s Links. A three-tiered program, Lorena’s Links outreach activities include fitness programs for all ages, healthy cooking classes, computer learning courses and many other activities designed to enhance the health, wellness, education and inclusion of the entire family. Their first outreach program is a Community Golf Program they take to public events such as fairs, festivals, malls, stadiums and any other places people gather. At these events they provide families with a short introductory golf experience with PGA and LPGA Professionals. Their second outreach program is their In-School/Parks & Recreation Program. The Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation has partnered with SNAG Golf to bring the benefits of golf directly to children and adults who may not otherwise be able to participate. LOGF and SNAG customize programs for each school, park and community recreation center and LOGF trains the schools and parks & rec staffs to conduct the programs. Their train-the-trainers program virtually eliminates all costs for the school and parks & rec districts making it possible for the children and families to enjoy and be included in the benefits of golf. Their partner PGA and LPGA professionals make regular visits to continue staff training and also spend time with the children and families. Additionally, they attach mentor programs for the children to ensure they have positive adult role models actively participating in their lives. This mentor program takes place at the schools, parks and community recreation centers and also at regularly scheduled field trips for the children and families to Lorena’s Links golf facilities. There are many benefits for Schools and Park/Rec facilities to be involved in this Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation outreach program as the LOGF staff will: 1) Utilize the ‘Starting New at Golf’ curriculum and modified equipment to instruct the fundamentals of golf to new learners 2) Train the staff that will conduct the regular session 3) Provide ongoing training 4) Create a relationship with a local golf course so the kids may take regular supervised visits to the course 5) Work with the golf course to create a program the kids and their families can participate in on their own time 6) Develop a mentor program for the kids so they may have a positive adult influence in their lives to help bridge the entry into a new environment. 7) Develop a fundraising activity for the school/park & rec so they can raise the funds needed for the SNAG equipment and program.
The third focus area take place at Lorena’s Links golf facilities that are specially trained to WELCOME, ENGAGE and RETAINthe children and adults of the visiting families. Lorena’s Links provide opportunities for families to learn and play golf in a fun, relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. While enjoying golf at the facilities they will be introduced to health, fitness and education programs for all ages included in the experience. For more information, contact:
Jason Taylor, Executive Director Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +PGA Article "Jack Nicklaus Still Leading The Way"March 21st, 2012 10:18am - Posted By: Ted Bishop
Jack Nicklaus shares thoughts with Ted Bishop, Vice President of the PGA of America, on concepts he hopes the industry will embrace to grow the game. Ted plans to embrace many new strategies at his own course including a 6-hole SNAG Golf course for entry level players (adults and kids) with fees under $5.
Article By Ted Bishop, Vice President of the PGA of America Source: PGA.com Link: http://www.pga.com/news/news-feature/ted-bishop-jack-nicklaus-still-leader-in-golfTo say that Jack Nicklaus needs no introduction to golfers or even sports fans would be the greatest understatement of the year. "The Golden Bear" has won 18 major golf championships while amassing 115 professional wins in his celebrated career. His place in golf history as the greatest player ever, seems pretty secure for now and decades to come. Nicklaus was an eight time PGA Tour leading money winner. He was a five time PGA Tour player of the year. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Nicklaus has received the Bob Jones Award, the Payne Stewart Award and the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award for humanitarian contributions in and out of golf. My path crossed Jack's for the first time in the winter of 2011 when several of us spoke to him about being a spokesperson for Golf 2.0, an industry wide player development initiative spearheaded by the PGA of America. Jack embraced the idea and it was pretty evident that he welcomed the challenge of doing something for the betterment of the game. Nicklaus and his wife, Barbara, have 21 grandchildren. Only one of those grandkids plays golf. At age 72, Jack is very aware of the hurdles and distractions that families often times face when it comes to finding time to play the sport that he dominated for decades. Nicklaus understands that the perceived time commitment associated with golf has got to change in order to attract new players to the game. Last summer, he instituted a couple of totally unconventional ideas at two of his premier golf facilities. There are no finer golf destinations in this country than Muirfield Village in Dublin, OH and The Bear's Club in West Palm Beach, FL. These are traditional private clubs and Nicklaus devised a 12-hole routing plan at each course that allowed golfers to play "six, six and twelve" versus the traditional two nines and 18 holes. His goal was to shorten the time it takes to play. "Twelve holes is about all I am interested in playing myself," smiles Jack when he talks about the concept. "Many women enjoy the six-hole concept. It's faster and less strenuous." Nicklaus refers to himself as one of the staunchest traditionalists in golf history, so when he introduced an 8-inch cup for a day at Murfield Village and the Bear's Club last summer it was monumental. The official diameter of a golf hole is 4.25 inches and Jack gave his golfers a hole twice the size as the regulation cup. Players loved the novel idea, although one golfer quipped, "You can still miss 'em on the edge." Over the last few months, Jack has continued to explore unconventional ways to attract and keep players in the game. A couple of weeks ago, we met at the Bear's Club and he was presented an idea promoting forward tees for family and beginning golf. Upon seeing the concept, he ordered the forward markers for both Muirfield Village and the Bear's Club. Nicklaus didn't stop there. He has instructed his design teams to institute the concept on all new courses that Nicklaus design builds. I wouldn't be surprised if he sends a memo to all Nicklaus designed courses in the U.S. and encourages them to install these forward tees. Last week, several of us met in Jack's office at West Palm Beach to discuss the idea of bringing the 12-hole concept to the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. The idea was born out of a discussion that Ian Baker-Finch, former British Open champion and CBS commentator, had with me at the Grand Slam Pro-Am a couple of years ago. Finch and I presented our case study to Jack, the all-time major champion, and he offered ideas and opinions on how players, television and viewers would perceive the concept.
The PGA Grand Slam of Golf features the four major championship winners in a 36-hole format each fall at Port Royal in Bermuda. We are still working out the details, but the fact that we even discussed a monumental format change like this was in large part because of Jack Nicklaus.
- Offer 6-hole and 12-hole rates on our championship 27-holes. It has been my privilege to serve as the PGA's spokesman for Get Golf Ready. This program allows the consumer to sign up for five 1.5 hour lessons from a PGA professional for a cost of only $99. Each instructional session includes an "on course" experience where the players actually get to play on the course. Get Golf Ready classes can be tailored to all types of players- beginning women, kids, senior men, accomplished players, couples, etc. The most compelling statistic regarding Get Golf Ready is that 84% of those who take all five of the instructional sessions- stay in the game as golfers. Nicklaus liked that and he has also endorsed the program at his facilities. Jack Nicklaus has given golfers of all ages many memories for a lifetime. Who can forget that image of him holing a putt on the 17th green at the 1986 Masters and CBS' Verne Lundquist exclaiming, "Yes Sir!" For me, my best memories of Jack will be sitting around a table and talking about ways to grow the game of golf. Thanks, Jack! Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +SNAG® Golf To Take Center Stage at St. Andrews Golf FestivalMarch 20th, 2012 5:09pm
The inaugural St. Andrews Golf Festival, which is set for March 28-April 1 at the birthplace and spiritual home of golf, will be the first public tribute to the ancient game with a weeklong celebration aimed at attracting golf enthusiasts and tourists from the UK and beyond. The Festival promises a wide variety of exhibits and activities and among those will be SNAG® Golf (‘Starting New At Golf’), a global leader in player development and grow-the-game initiatives with unique equipment and training tools designed for all new learners. “We are excited to be part of the very first Festival of Golf at St. Andrews,” said Terry Anton, Co-Founder and CEO of SNAG® Golf. “With so many events occurring during the week, SNAG® Golf will be front and center for all to see as we set up a display and hitting area opposite the first tee of The Old Course. SNAG® is about growing the game and bringing the fun aspect back to the sport and it is an honor to be on a world stage such as this.” The St. Andrews Golf Festival will draw in visitors to experience the rich history, traditions and modern innovations that reflect the 600 years that golf has been played in northeast Scotland and around the world. The town of St. Andrews, including hotels and shops, will host golf photography exhibits, golf literature, films, guided walks, golf humor/entertainment, fashion, trends, personalities and so much more. ‘The idea of the Festival was to rekindle ‘the Spirit of St. Andrews’ and to create an entertaining program of events, presentations and displays to showcase so many dynamic aspects of the sport,” stated Richard Wax, chairman and creator of the Festival. “We approached SNAG® Golf because we were aware of the company’s mission to introduce golf to millions of people around the world. Festival visitors who may never have touched a golf club or thought about playing the game will have access to SNAG’s unique and fun teaching system every day.”
About the St. Andrews Golf Festival The creative St. Andrews Golf Festival, golf’s first-ever organized celebration in this historic town where the game has been played for some 600 years, has an impressive schedule of events, exhibitions, tours, lectures, films and skills competitions planned for the launch of the five-day extravaganza. Exhibitions to showcase the history of the game and golf’s most distinguished champions will be held at a number of noted hotels in St. Andrews and will include tributes to: Old Tom Morris, Bobby Jones, Seve Ballesteros, the History of Golf in St. Andrews, a Keepers of the Green display, the Ryder Cup, Women’s Golf and much more. A selection of planned daily activities are: putting competitions on the Links Trust putting green for charity; golf simulator virtual drive off the 1st tee of the fabled Old Course; SNAG Golf; a guided walking tour of historic golf locations in the town; screening of films; book signings; art and photography exhibits and fundraising for the Seve Ballesteros Foundation. The town’s bars, restaurants and hotels will host real ale tastings. For a listing of Festival events, visit www.standrewsgolffestival.com. The schedule is continually updated with additional activities that will interest golfers and non-golfers of all ages. In keeping with the spirit of the game that is accessible to everyone, there is no charge to attend the St. Andrews Golf Festival celebrations. Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +For Immediate Release: SNAG® Golf Signs Exclusive Sales Deal with Golf Around the World, Inc.March 19th, 2012 11:22am - Posted By: On Course Strategies
PRESS RELEASE
March 15, 2012: SNAG® Golf (‘Starting New At Golf’), a proven first touch player development program designed for new learners of all ages, has signed an exclusive sales contract with Golf Around the World and its subsidiary, GolfTrainingAids.com, a company founded in 1984 by PGA Master Professional and Hall of Fame member, Dr. Gary Wiren. “Golf Around the World/GolfTrainingAids.com is the only non-SNAG® company allowed to officially sell SNAG® products to both professionals and consumers,” says Terry Anton, owner and CEO of SNAG®Golf. Gary Wiren not only is the consummate teaching professional for golf but he also is a longtime supporter and proponent of SNAG®. Golf Around the World provides the best resources for training materials for golf pros around the world so it is a natural fit for us. We appreciate their understanding of and commitment to our approach to attract and retain new learners through modified equipment and simplified instruction. We are thrilled with the partnership and look forward to a long term relationship with Golf Around the World.” All SNAG® training items may be viewed on the SNAG® section of the site. Teaching pros and consumers can call 800-367-4279 for wholesale pricing and login details. “SNAG® has developed the perfect formula for introducing the game of golf to boys and girls, making it fun, simple and progressive,” Wiren says. “By adopting this approach to learning the game of golf along with SNAG’s materials on proper conduct, make this an important first step in how all youth should be introduced to the game.”
About SNAG®Golf: SNAG® Golf (‘Starting New at Golf’) is a proven first touch development program designed for new learners of all ages. It is an easy and fun way to learn and play golf. SNAG® contains all the elements of golf but in a modified form. It builds on strong fundamentals of putting, chipping, pitching and full swing to develop playing ability quickly and effectively. SNAG® Golf incorporates developmentally appropriate equipment that will allow golf to be learned and played in non-traditional venues, such as on a soccer field, in a gym, or on the beach. It can be taught and played almost anywhere in the world with immediate, positive results. This instant success keeps new learners wanting to be further involved with golf. SNAG® is the skills-acquisition program used in the national school golf program headed by the World Golf Foundation’s First Tee Program. There are more than 5,000 schools that are successfully introducing children to golf in the U.S. and over 8,000 worldwide. Professionals, please visit our SNAG® Pros website www.snagpros.comfor more information on our Coaching System used to instruct new learners. For individuals and groups that want to have fun learning golf visit www.snaggolf.com. About GolfTrainingAids.com: GolfTrainingAids.com is owned and operated by Golf Around the World, Inc. and is located in West Palm Beach, Florida. The company was founded by PGA Master Professional Dr. Gary Wiren (www.garywiren.com) in 1984 as a resource for providing training aids to teaching and touring professionals. GolfTrainingAids.com is an extension of the original company and has expanded and now offers the world's largest selection of golf teaching and training aids.
Media Contact: Jane Dally/Pat Norton 203-454-0232 Jane@oncoursegolf-pr.com, Pat@oncoursegolf-pr.com Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Be a part of the “Unforgettable Roll”!!March 15th, 2012 6:05pm
Golfing icon Lorena Ochoa is going to relive her famous leap into Poppy’s Pond at the 18th Hole after winning the 2008 LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship. This time winners of Lorena Ochoa’s Unforgettable Roll will be joining her.
Lorena Ochoa’s Unforgettable Roll is a putting contest that will be held on Saturday, March 31st on the 18th green during the third round the of the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, CA. Finals will be a “closest to the hole” contest, the competitor whose ball finishes closest to the hole is the winner. Winners of the putting contest then join Lorena Ochoa in reliving her famous leap into Poppy’s Pond. The contest consists of three divisions–Men, Women and Juniors. Winners of each division also receive a $1,000 shopping spree at a Westfield mall.
Qualifying for this event is free and takes place at Westfield Palm Desert from March 16th to 25th and Westfield Main Place in Santa Ana, CA from March 15th to 18th. To qualify entrants will compete in a putting contest using SNAG Golf held in the Common areas of these two malls. It is free to enter and the qualifying is sponsored by SNAG Golf.
The event got its name from The Unforgettables Foundation. The Unforgettables Foundation is non profit organization to assist families with the many crises surrounding the death of a child-not the least of which are the crushing financial burdens experienced by families with limited resources. Assisted by Inland Empire educators, medical professionals, social workers, and morticians, Evans created The Unforgettables Foundation. Paramount among aspects of the Foundation’s mission is to assist low-income families provide a dignified, appropriate burial for their children who have died.
For more information about the event, the Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation or The Unforgettables contact:
Jason Taylor Executive Director Lorena Ochoa Golf Foundation (951) 712-?7843
Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +What do SNAG Golf, QuickStart Tennis and Bunny Slopes have in common?March 14th, 2012 5:21pm - Posted By: Katharine Dyson
Learning a sport like skiing, tennis or golf can be fun and productive if you have the right program. See how SNAG Golf, QuickStart Tennis and bunny slopes get beginners up and running.
You’d be fitted for skies, book some lessons and start doing wedge and French fry turns on the gentle slope aka the “bunny slope.” You’d practice until you felt more confident and gradually you would go faster and look better. That’s the way it is with golf. Ever watch a sort of cocky kid or adult step up to a golf ball for the first time, grab a club, plunk down a ball and have all the confidence in the world he (or she) would hit it straight out there like Rory McIlroy? Maybe the first time they’d get lucky but try to repeat it and they would soon become frustrated. Hey, the game looks easy. Why can’t I do this? The difficulty of learning to play golf and having the time to do it is one big reason why the number of golfers is not growing. This has been a sad state of affairs for years. To jump-start the game, something had to change. Finally there is a way kids and people of all ages new to the game can learn how to play in a way that is not only fun, but makes total sense. It’s called SNAG (Starting New at Golf). It’s not unlike learning to ski smartly on the bunny slope or easing into tennis with the successful QuickStart Tennis program, a scaled down version of the game with simplified rules, smaller courts with lower nets, age-sized racquets and brightly-colored balls. Certainly QuickStart has helped revitalize tennis. Like QuickStart, SNAG takes the frustration out of the learning process, making it fun while providing an exciting, intuitive way to learn the game properly and painlessly. Every element SNAGsters (golfers) need to learn the game is included in the SNAG system from the modified score card with no stress simplified rules to the colorful golf equipment in bright red, yellow, green and blue. SNAGsters use just two clubs (Launcher and Roller) and SNAG Balls. The Launcher does the job of the driver and irons while the Roller serves as the putter. The SNAG Ball is launched to one of three fun targets (Rollerama, Bullseye, or Flagsticky) where a hook fabric causes them to stick on impact. How fun is that! A five-sided grip and color-coded clues makes is easy to learn the proper grip; the Rollerama helps in chipping and putting; SNAGazoo promotes proper pitching; SNAG-O-Matic attached to the top of the Launcher establishes a good chipping stroke; and the Snapper, a long tool with a ribbon, reinforces the correct swing path when properly twirled. SNAG is totally portable and can be played just about anywhere indoors or outdoors with a little bit of room such as a driving range, ball field or gym. Pros are finding SNAG to be a great way to get youngsters turned onto golf while adults really love playing SNAG Golf at club events and corporate outings. In the process, they start learning the basics of golf. We’re talking new golfers!
Individuals or Groups wanting to practice and play SNAG, please visit www.snaggolf.com to get your very own Player Pak or Princess Pak, which contains everything you need to get started. Make sure to download the Manual! Golf Professionals that want to instruct new learners using SNAG can find tons of resources on how to start a successful SNAG program at www.SNAGpros.com Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +How One Homeschool Mom is Making a Difference in GolfMarch 14th, 2012 11:23am - Posted By: Sonia M. Wignall
The Homeschool Golf Story by Homeschool Mom Sonia M. Wignall
Homeschool Golf was started when my then 11 year old son started learning to play golf. I fell in love with the peace, discipline, and beauty of the game. The challenge I faced however, was how to make the process of learning golf affordable for our family. After thorough research I came to the conclusion that the options for truly affordable golf learning instructions were limited. I also found that many homeschool groups and homeschool sports programs did not have golf as an option. It was certainly not a sports option for elementary and or middle school students.
So out of a need to make learning golf affordable, and to expand Junior Golf into the Homeschool environment, our Homeschool Golf program was started. As the word spread, the response from parents of homeschooled children was overwhelming. Within a week, we had 21 students signed up, including a family group of 7 Juniors! WOW! Two weeks later our program started with three 1 hour clinics back to back. Within a short time we opened another location for the overflow. We knew then we had stumbled on a major market that had been previously overlooked.
What began as a simple need of one Mom to find affordable golf instruction for her son has turned into a year round Junior golf training program which includes camps and clinics at several private and public golf courses in Georgia! We offer our students golf learning opportunities from LPGA & PGA trained professionals so they are prepared for long term success and the potential opportunity for competitive play.
With an eye on expanding our current programs, we are excited for the opportunity to introduce our new and young learners to SNAG Golf. Homeschool families are often large families, with varying demographics. SNAG provides the opportunity for multi-generational families to play and learn together. Besides the desire to be very active in their children's education, homeschool parents are also looking for activities in which everyone can participate. SNAG golf fits that need perfectly!
Before adding SNAG to our programs we were challenged to consistently accommodate young homeschooled students ages 3 – 5 years old, in an effective golf learning environment. The “traditional” golf clinic environment is often unsuitable for very young learners. We also receive inquiries from families in rural communities with no access to golf courses so the portability of setting up SNAG learning stations and SNAG courses for play is key to opening up more opportunities for these kids and their families. With SNAG Golf, a large family can comfortably afford to engage kids of all ages and levels in the game of golf both inside and outside the home, on or off the golf course. With the many options that SNAG golf provides, limitation is taken out of the golf learning process. SNAG Golf levels the playing field.
Sonia M. Wignall Homeschool Mom http://www.homeschoolgolf.org/ Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Kate Tempesta talks about her methods for teaching children using SNAGMarch 7th, 2012 1:22pm - Posted By: Podcast by Kate Tempesta
Women's Golf Report Podcast: Kate Tempetsa, LPGA, talks about her successful business in NYC teaching children using SNAG
CLICK THIS LINK TO LISTEN TO PODCAST: http://tinyurl.com/7ad27qh
For more informtion on Kate Tempesta's Urban Golf Academy, click here: www.ktuga.com Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Driving Kids from Schools to the CourseMarch 7th, 2012 12:02pm - Posted By: By Ken Lipshez, FarmingtonPatch.com
Article by By Ken Lipshez "Local Firm Aspires to SNAG Young Golfers" on Farmington-Patch.com (http://farmington.patch.com/articles/local-firm-aspires-to-snag-young-golfers#)
Accomplished professional Suzy Whaley and local pro George DeVita establish new company to place golf on the agenda for schools' phys-ed curriculum
Many children saunter across fields at Fisher Meadows and Tunxis Mead with passion for soccer, while others relish in the age-old sensation of bashing baseballs come springtime or take to the basketball courts in the winter. The phenomena obliged Farmington Woods golf pro George DeVita, of Canton, and Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) professional Suzy Whaley, of Farmington, to ask, “Why not golf?” Their answer was to start a company called PE2Tee, a method of introducing children and their parents to golf through elementary school physical education programs by using colorful, age-appropriate equipment produced by an Oklahoma-based company called SNAG, Starting New at Golf. Under the initiative, they train physical education teachers to inaugurate golf instruction into the curriculum. “Kids are used to learning sports from their PE teachers, not a professional,” Whaley said. DeVita, the girls varsity golf coach at Farmington High, and Whaley, the first woman ever to participate in a PGA tournament, have been working with children in the Farmington school system on a less formal basis for three years. They are in the process of introducing their strategy to more districts in the greater Hartford area. “I think we’re at an exciting stage,” said Whaley, who gained automatic berth into the Greater Hartford Open in 2003 by winning the Connecticut PGA Section Championship and earned international acclaim as the first woman to qualify for a PGA event since Babe Zaharias 58 years earlier. “George and I have dabbled in it and it’s really started to gain some traction,” she said. Their multifaceted objective is to foster interest in a game people can play over the course of a lifetime, encourage parental interaction as a dynamic for family accord and increase the cash flow for local courses and other golf-oriented businesses. “We’re trying to drive kids from the school districts to the golf courses,” said DeVita, a 1993 Farmington High graduate who went on to earn a degree in child development and education from Connecticut College. Avon-based Farmington Woods has already gained some new members due to the program and Westwoods, Farmington’s municipal course, could also benefit from PE2Tee, according to DeVita. “It’s a vessel, like a funnel. We’re getting it going as a company as a viable way to give back to schools, not only with golf instruction but to develop golfers and to invigorate them to go to facilities that are struggling.” DeVita and Whaley have addressed school administrators’ financial concerns through fundraising and seeking grants to subsidize the program. The Connecticut Section PGA Foundation provided a grant for four kits, one of which went to Farmington High, another to Simsbury and one to Westwoods. Parents can also adopt a school, she said. “We’re going to raise money for whatever school system wants a golf unit. We’ll help them fundraise. The school obviously has to help us as well to get the [SNAG] kits,” DeVita said, who noted that he and Whaley have also donated their money and time. They also enlist SNAG to reduce rates for its $3,000 kits that include clubs and colorful accessories to accentuate the skills needed to master the sport, he said. Through PE2Tee, Whaley said they want to dispel the notion that golf is a rich person’s sport. “We want to manage that affordability perception,” she said. “George and I are all about that. There are facilities in Connecticut that cost less than going to the movies with your family. The perception is they’re very expensive but they’re not. Some of the daily-fee facilities are really a bargain.” The sport engenders family fun and encourages children to push the video games and smart phones aside and enjoy exercise, said Whaley, whose husband, Bill is the general manager and PGA Director of Golf at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell. DeVita and Whaley envision golf becoming a youth team sport with leagues just like the existing cultural popularity of travel soccer and basketball. They both want to “build up people who are passionate about golf,” said Whaley, who golfed for the University of North Carolina on an athletic scholarship and majored in economics. “If we can make it a transitional step like every other sport we teach in school, golf becomes less intimidating, it becomes more fun,” said Whaley, who is ranked among the top 50 teachers in America by Golf Digest. “Kids are used to that team atmosphere like lacrosse and soccer so they’ll be on a team, in a little league, by the time they’re ready to go to the golf course.” Whaley said that some children transition from their program to First Tee, an international initiative that promotes nine core values including sportsmanship and integrity to youth through golf. “The industry is finally working in synch together,” she said. Whaley and DeVita are also committed to putting more girls on local tees and greens. “We’re trying to grow the game and I’m obviously passionate about girls,” said Whaley, who has two talented daughters in Jennifer, 17, who will play golf at Quinnipiac University in the fall, and Kelly, 14, who is the 2011 Connecticut Amateur champion and the state’s PGA junior champion. “I have a soft spot in my heart that I want more girls playing golf and we allow scholarships to go untaken every single year.” Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Golf.com rates David Feherty Sticky Suit video as #1 Viral Golf Video of 2011March 1st, 2012 12:04pm
On the Golf.com list "Top 10 Viral Golf Videos of 2011" the David Feherty learns the true meaning of a “stinger” video ranked #1!!
This is what happens when David Feherty gets in front of 20 kids who are armed with golf clubs. Feherty visited J. Erik Jonsson Community School, a beneficiary of the HP Byron Nelson Championship, to hang out with the kids and talk about life. Being a good sport, he also taught them a few things about golf... including how to hit a moving target.
Follow this link to see the video on the Golf.com website: http://blogs.golf.com/presstent/2011/12/top-10-viral-golf-videos-of-2011.html Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google + |
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