Golf Academy at Olympic View Launches New Junior Development Program

The Golf Academy at Olympic View is taking an aggressive approach to getting juniors fired up about the game of golf in 2014 with a multi-faceted community based approach. Over the past two years the Olympic View Golf Club and its Golf Academy has committed to growing the game of golf, grass roots style, by supporting Golf Canada’s In-Schools Golf Program. In 2013 the Olympic View Golf Club adopted three local schools (Happy Valley, Sangster and Wishart Elementary Schools) and implemented golf programs in the school gymnasiums and fields, delivering a golf curriculum to over 2500 students. This year the Golf Academy at Olympic View adopted Dunsmuir Middle School and is working on the program for students of that West Shore educational Institute.

The development program to which Mr. Palmer refers is the new Golf Academy ‘Belt System’ Development Program. The ultimate goal of the ‘Belt System’ Program is to take a beginner junior at the age of 12 and have them move through each level (white, yellow, orange, red, brown and black belts) so that they may become competitive players that have a legitimate chance of playing golf at the US collegiate level. The ‘Belt System’ model hinges on acquiring and developing athletic skill, based on functional movement principles from the Titleist Performance Institute, in addition to learning the fundamentals and advanced technique of the golf swing and short game. Through the Golf Academy ‘Belt System’ Development Program young golfers will also learn mental lessons and life skills necessary for tournament and collegiate golf.

Olympic View Golf Academy coaches have vast experience playing competitive and collegiate golf. They have the resources to develop competitive golf skill but also to help kids understand what kind of grades they need, how to apply for a scholarship and how to handle themselves once away from home.

The first student has just attained ‘White Belt’ status in the program. Cole Daniel, a ten year old student at the Golf Academy at Olympic View has shown promise and commitment. Look for his name as a top finisher in junior tournaments in the years to come. The ‘Belt System’ Program includes private one on one instruction as well as group supervised practice and skill building. The coaches at the Golf Academy at Olympic View are experts in this field.

The Golf Academy ‘Belt System’ Development Program is typically for players from ages to 12 to 18 years of age but will accept younger prospects that show advanced ability as in the case of Cole Daniel. The Golf Academy has development programs for younger children as well. The GBC Academy ‘Little Bogeys’ program is for kids aged 3-6 and the Golf Academy Future Links Program is for youngster from ages 7-11. These programs are promoted in the elementary schools that the Olympic View Golf Club has adopted and will undoubtedly, one day, fuel the Golf Academy ‘Belt System’ Development Program.