RIDGEWOOD, NJ—Junior golf is considered one of the fastest growing areas of the game. The statistics confirm that and so did the LPGA Northeast Section by honoring Michelle Melia with the Phyllis Meekins Junior Golf Leader of the Year award.
Wonder why she was honored? Melia wears many hats in golf teaching including joining with Total Golf Adventures of Bergen County as a site director under Territory Director Kevin Rooney.
In addition, Melia is the head golf coach for men and women at Farleigh Dickinson University as well as serving as the LPGA Junior Clinic Coordinator at the Shop Rite Classic in Absecon, NJ for the last two years. Close to 40 percent of her golf lessons are given to juniors.
"Having Michelle on the TGA team with me in Bergen County is a tremendous asset for me," said Rooney. "While TGA is one of the fastest growing at-school, after-school programs in the country, adding the credibility of someone like Michelle to my team is a strong plus. The schools and the youth in my territory will benefit greatly by having the opportunity to work with Michelle."
TGA’s programs extend beyond learning the game of golf and honing the golf swing. A child’s passion for the game of golf grows with a program that expands and improves their motor skills and coordination, encourages their advancement, and builds their confidence and self-esteem.
In addition, the TGA program promotes and teaches life values intrinsic to the game of golf:
â?¢ Respect – for the game, their partners, and the golf course
â?¢ Honesty
â?¢ Teamwork – classes include competition, and skills contests
â?¢ Sportsmanship – good sportsmanship is fundamental to the TGA curriculum and is rewarded in classes
â?¢ Commitment and Integrity
The TGA curriculum was developed with input from PGA Professionals and PhD’s in Child Development and Education. Their input has ensured that TGA reinforces educational concepts such as arithmetic and reading, while teaching golf. Students learn to: keep score, count strokes (addition/subtraction); judge distances to the golf hole; (visual perception); and, study golf rules and etiquette (reading rule books by the National Golf Foundation or in the case of younger children, identifying with pictures).
TGA uses junior golf clubs from Nicklaus Golf Equipment and the Almost Golf Ballâ?¢, a new practice ball designed to be safe for children and easy to hit. Students’ sense of achievement and accomplishment is fostered as they move through a five level program designated by the TGA colors. In addition to instruction during the five levels, students are introduced to the rules, etiquette, and fundamentals of golf; then transitioned to learning how to play on a golf course. Finally, the advanced level students are prepped to play competitively through TGA and PGA section initiatives.
Total Golf Adventures (www.totalgolfadventures.com) is endorsed and named as the official junior golf initiative by the Golf Range Association of America (GRAA); is a national supporting organization of the After School Alliance, is a corporate advocate and partner of the President’s Challenge on Physical Fitness.
Contact:
FOR TOTAL GOLF ADVENTURES:
ALAN TAYLOR
alan@alantaylorconsulting.com
516 835 1151
BERGEN COUNTY:
KEVIN ROONEY
krooney@totalgolfadventures.com
201-230-9502