MARCH 2, 2018
RICHMOND, BC (PGA of British Columbia) -- With a two-week break from the classroom coming up for British Columbia students this month, many PGA of BC facilities are offering the perfect way to keep children active and occupied over Spring Break.
Kids of all ages can learn the game from PGA of BC Golf Professionals at one of many camps taking place across the province during the Spring Break period, providing a chance for youth to pick up golf through the sport’s most trusted instructors at an affordable price.
And with the 2018 golf season just getting underway in earnest, an introduction to the sport in the early part of the year can set up a great summer of fun for kids to look forward to.
“A lot of parents are scrambling for things for kids to do while they’re at work,” said PGA of BC member Hal Eremko, who oversees golf operations for the City of Burnaby.
“From our standpoint, the sooner they can get hitting balls and enjoying it, the more like they are to be practicing through the spring and honing their skills so that when the weather is really good, they can keep at it.”
Burnaby Golf is hosting week-long camps during Spring Break with 2 ½ hours of instruction each day, operating at both its Riverway Golf Course and Burnaby Mountain Golf Course locations. That’s a formula followed by many of the camps being held over the holiday, most of which tap into the Learn to Play model outlined by Future Links, Golf Canada’s national junior program.
There’s plenty more to that approach than simply letting kids swing away at the driving range.
“We’ve got fun little workbooks and a space where we run activity circuits, doing different physical drills and balance drills and exercises. Then we get them out to do practical golf stuff – putting, chipping and full swings – throughout the week,” Jeff Palmer, Executive Professional at Victoria’s Highland Pacific Golf, said of his club’s Spring Break camps for youth aged 6 to 13.
“We teach them the basics of the game, but they’re learning character-building skills, too, like honesty and integrity. They’re learning some history of the game as well, and skills that they can take forward in any phase of their life.”
By returning to the golf course several days in a row, children who attend the camps will see their skills build at an accelerated rate. That will give them an excellent base in the game to enjoy it for years to come, and the ability to play golf for a lifetime is one of the sport’s truly great qualities.
What’s more, golf provides a wonderful opportunity to make connections and spend time with your children. A day on the course or an hour at the driving range with your son or daughter can become a moment to bond and a lasting memory that stands out from an age of hectic schedules and endless amounts of screen time.
And even if your child isn’t a gifted athlete, that doesn’t mean they can’t excel at golf.
“The nice thing about golf is that any child – short, tall, large or small – can succeed at this game,” said Eremko. “It’s not just like the how the tall kid is likely to be good in basketball, or the heavy-set kid with strong quads will be good in hockey.
“We see it tons of times where we’ll have a putting contest and a little girl beats the strong boys.”
Click here to see a listing of golf camps available at PGA of BC facilities during Spring Break.
If you’ve got other plans for Spring Break, or if a week-long camp seems like a big commitment for your first-time golfer, the PGA of BC and its member facilities have plenty of other junior programs available throughout the year that may be a good fit for your child.
Canucks Junior Golf Week presented by Odlum Brown Limited will return to golf facilities across the province July 2-9 this year, a join initiative of the Vancouver Canucks and PGA of BC that has introduced more than 2,500 British Columbia youth to the game since it launched in 2014. Single-day camps lasting up to two hours include instruction in the game’s basics from a PGA of BC Golf Professional, equipment rentals if required, an item of Vancouver Canucks apparel and other gifts – all for just $20 per child. Registration for the program will open in April, but you can click here to learn more about the program or pre-register to receive a reminder when the sign-up window opens next month.
With nearly 200 PGA of BC facilities spread to virtually every corner of the province, the expertise of a Golf Professional is never far away. Check out our interactive facilities map to see the nearest course, driving range, academy or retailer to you, and to find out how to get in touch for more information on what youth-focused programming they may provide.
Spring Break golf camps at PGA of BC facilities
Burnaby Mountain Golf Course, Burnaby
March 26-30
9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Ages 7 to 12
Click here for camp information and registration
Cheam Mountain Golf Course, Chilliwack
March 20-23 or March 27-30
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., or 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Ages 6 to 17
Click here for camp details and registration info
Cultus Lake Golf Course, Cultus Lake
March 19-22 or March 26-29
9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., or 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Ages 7 to 13
Click here for camp information and registration
Eaglequest Golf Centre at Coquitlam, Coquitlam
One-hour, 1/2-day and full-day camps available March 19-23 or March 26-29
Various start/end times between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Programming for ages 4 to 15
Click here for full camp listing; click here for more information on Eaglequest Golf Centre at Coquitlam
Eaglequest Golf Centre at Coyote Creek, Surrey
One-hour, 1/2-day and full-day camps available March 19-23 or March 26-29
Various start/end times between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Programming for ages 4 to 15
Click here for full camp listing; click here for more information on Eaglequest Golf Centre at Coyote Creek
Fairwinds Golf Club, Nanoose Bay
One-hour camps available March 19-22 & March 26-29
Sessions begin at 1 p.m. or 2 p.m.
Programming for ages 5 to 13
Click here for camp and registration info
Fraserview Golf Academy, Vancouver
Two-hour, 1/2-day and full-day camps available March 19-23 or March 26-29
Various start/end times between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Programming for ages 4 to 16
Click here for camp information and registration
Highland Pacfic Golf, Victoria
March 19-23 or March 26-30
9:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Ages 6 to 9) or 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Ages 10 to 13)
Ages 6 to 13
Click here for camp information and registration
Kamloops Golf & Country Club, Kamloops
March 19-22
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Ages 7 to 12
Click here and scroll down for camp information
Ledgeview Golf Club, Abbotsford
March 20-23 (Beginner) or March 26-29 (Intermediate)
10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. or 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. (Ages 5 to 8); 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. (Ages 9 to 13)
Ages 5 to 13
Click here for camp information and registration
Mayfair Lakes Golf & Country Club, Richmond
March 27-30
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Ages 6 & up
Click here for camp information and registration
McCleery Golf Academy, Vancouver
Two-hour, 1/2-day and full-day camps available March 19-23 or March 26-30
Various start/end times between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Programming for ages 5 to 18
Click here for camp information and registration
Meadow Gardens Golf Club, Pitt Meadows
March 12-16, March 19-23 or March 26-30
10: 00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (Ages 6 to 9), 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Ages 10 to 12), 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Ages 13 to 16)
Contact pro shop at 604-465-5474 for information and registration
Musqueam Golf & Learning Academy, Vancouver
March 26-30
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Ages 7 to 12
Click here for camp information and registration
Olympic View Golf Club, Victoria
March 19-23 or March 26-30
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Ages 7 to 13
Click here for camp information and registration
Redwoods Golf Course, Langley
March 19-22
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Ages 12 to 18
Click here for camp information and registration
Riverway Golf Course, Burnaby
March 19-23
9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Ages 7 to 12
Click here for camp information and registration
Royal Colwood Golf Club, Victoria
March 19, 20, 22 and 23; or March 26, 27 and 29
9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Ages 6 & up
Click here for camp information and registration
Seymour Golf & Country Club, North Vancouver
March 19-22 or March 26-29
10:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ages 7 to 12
Click here for camp information and registration
Two Eagles Golf Course & Academy, West Kelowna
Five-day camps March 19-23 or March 26-30 (Ages 9 to 15) -- 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Girls-only camps March 19-20 (Ages 5 to 9) from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., or March 21-23 (Ages 9 to 18) from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Click here for camp information and registration