GlobalGolf Supports the Boys & Girls Clubs through Golf Programs

Spreading the joy of golf is something that every PGA Professional holds near and dear to their heart. PGA Professionals are an integral part of the operation at GlobalGolf, so enhancing the golfers experience is something we strive to do day in and day out. So, when we heard the PGA of America was partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs to host golf programs nationwide, GlobalGolf jumped at the opportunity. Alan Unruh, PGA Professional and Brand Ambassador for GlobalGolf was selected to represent GlobalGolf and instruct the golf program at the Boys & Girls Clubs in Raleigh, North Carolina.

As a PGA Professional I want to do all I can to raise awareness for the game of golf and involving youth with the sport. Golf is a great way to learn a sport but more importantly life lessons. Respect, honesty, integrity, safety, problem solving, focus and belief. These are all key aspects you learn through golf that you’ll need throughout life. That’s why I love teaching golf to youth, you’re impacting and molding the future. Yes, hopefully they continue to play golf, but more importantly you’ve become a role model and someone they look up to. – Alan Unruh, PGA Professional, Brand Ambassador for GlobalGolf

The program was full of 50 boys and girls ranging in age from 8-14, that regularly attend the Boys & Girls Clubs. The program consisted of an hour of instruction for 5 consecutive weeks. The curriculum for the golf program is based upon the PGA Sports Academy which is a collaborative framework based on research and best practices from PGA Professional, PGA Education, allied associations and the Long Term Athlete Development standards for members adopted by the PGA World Alliance. The curriculum helps youth learn to play golf and have fun throughout the process. The goal is to make golf fun so that the sport is seen in the same light as baseball, soccer and football. Below details the week-by-week activities that took place.

Week One

Instruction: Safety, Grip, Stance, Posture, Alignment, Chipping, Fitness
Games: Toss Station, Chipping Station
- Toss Station: The children receive two balls and toss them underhand from behind a yellow cone to a throwing target six feet away. They begin with two points, one per ball. One point is deducted for each ball that land in the net. The best possible score is zero.
- Chipping Station: The children chip from a green cone trying to hit the yellow cone, which is 10 feet away, surrounded by blue cones. They begin with six points, two per ball. Two points are deducted for each ball hitting the yellow cone, one point is deducted for hitting the blue cone, and zero points are deducted for missing the cones. The best possible score is zero.

Week Two

Instruction: Fitness, Health, Nutrition, Putting, Chipping
Games: Jumping Station, Pitching Station
- Jumping Station: The children stand behind a cone and propel themselves forward towards two cones, three feet apart, using their legs and arms to jump out as far as they can without falling backwards. They receive four points for landing short of the first cone, two points for landing at or past it, or one point for landing at or past the next cone set at six feet.
- Pitching Station: The children pitch the ball with golf clubs trying to land in the target that is 10 feet away. They receive 3 balls and start with three points, one per ball. One point is deducted for each ball that lands in the net. The best possible score is zero.

Week Three

Instruction: Review Safety, Putting, Chipping, Pitching, Full Swing
Games: Throwing and Catching Station, Chipping/Pitching Station
- Throwing and Catching Station: Each child will throw the ball over-hand to their teammate standing ten feet away so that they can catch the ball. Each time the ball drops the team gets a point and the team with the fewer points wins.
- Pitching Station: The children will chip and pitch balls with clubs trying to land the ball over each row of cones. Cones are set 4 putter lengths from eachother. Each child recieves three balls. Four points for each ball landing over the first cone, 3 points for each ball landing over the second cone, one point for each ball landing over the third cone, and six points for any shot landing over all cones. The best possible score is three points.

Week Four

Instruction: Review Safety, Putting, Chipping, Pitching, Full Swing
Games: Putting Station, Full Swing Station
- Putting Station: The children putt from a green cone trying to hit the yellow cone, which is 30 feet away, surrounded by blue cones. They would get three balls and receive one point for hitting the yellow cone, two points for hitting the blue cone and four points for missing cones.
- Full Swing Station: The children each get three shots to try and land the ball on a pop-up target on the fly 35 yards away. 10 points for each ball that doesn’t go past the blue target net set at 15 yards. 7 points for each ball landing past the blue target net set at 15 yards. 6 point for each ball landing past the green target nest set at 20 yards. 5 points for each ball landing past the yellow target net set at 25 yards. 4 points for each ball landing past the red target net set at 30 yards. 3 points for each ball landing past the purple cone set at 35 yards.

Week Five

Field trip to a Golf Facility
- Tour the facility, meet PGA Professionals and other staff, Discuss job, career and scholarship opportunities.

With guidance each week, all of the children began to excel at all of the games. Everyone was having so much fun that the last couple of sessions ran longer than an hour. Who can say no to a happy kid?

There was no shortage of laughter, fun and smiles throughout the 5-week golf program. I can’t wait for the next session.- Alan Unruh, PGA Professional, Brand Ambassador for GlobalGolf

GlobalGolf will be partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs again to host more golf programs. If you’d like to learn more about the Boys & Girls Clubs click here.

Alan Unruh

Alan Unruh is a Class “A” member of the PGA of America, and holds PGA Certifications in General Management, Golf Operations and Player Development. With these certifications, he is among the 1% of PGA members that hold multiple PGA Certifications. He has a profound passion for the game of golf along with extensive experience and knowledge regarding planning and strategy for golf operations, rules of golf, tournament operations and golf swing fundamentals. Alan has also played a crucial role helping manage multiple high profile tournaments throughout his career including the USGA Women’s U.S. Open, PGA and LPGA Tour events, and multiple NCAA and AJGA events.