Latham Primary’s Golf Program
Toward the end of 2014 Magpies Belconnen and Jack Newton Junior Golf engaged in a new initiative, which provided teacher professional learning, golf equipment, professional golf coaching and gala day facilities for several schools in their area. Latham Primary is one of the schools to take up the opportunity.
During Term 2 of 2015, Year 5 and 6 students from Latham Primary School undertook a six week golf program thanks to their Sports Coordinator, Mr Brett Maron.
The students engaged in the MyGolf program, which included a series of sessions on putting, chipping, and hitting. The students created and played their own golf course and tested their skills in a golf assessment challenge.
As a finale to the program the students visted Magpies Belconnen Golf Club to experience real golf activities. Jonathan Hickman provided some professional coaching in chipping, putting and hitting, and we had volunteers available to assist the students in playing some holes.
Mr Maron worked with 60 students from Latham Primary and selected 25 students to participate in the Gala Day at the golf club. There were some students who were able to have a par. Others were fantastic strikers of the ball and overall the group was a very talented bunch. Some of us found some old animal bones while looking for our ball in the long grass, and others managed to find a collection of practice balls.
Apart from that the students were able to experience the feel of a real putting green, use of real golf balls, and hitting long shots from tees. They also learned respect for the golf course and for their playing partners, golf etiquette, and safety on the golf course.
What a great experience for the students! Magpies Belconnen looks forward to working with Latham Primary in 2016.
Jonathan Hickman runs golf clinics for children during the week and on the weekends and information about these can be found on the club website http://belconnenmagpies.com.au/golfclub/pro_shop.html or ringing the Pro Shop on (02) 6254 6740.
Thank you to Mr Maron and the teachers and parents from Latham Primary who have been dedicated to doing golf this year. Thank you also to those volunteers at Magpies Belconnen Golf Club who are always ready to lend a hand and provide an opportunity to those who would not ordinarily have this experience.
