HOOKED, SLICED and DRIVING FOR LIFE

‘Coach Chris’ develops passionate following of youth golfers at Kā‘anapali Golf Courses

story by LISA SCHELL photographs by JASON MOORE

n a beautiful Maui morning, two young golfers are standing on the edge of a deep bunker on the Kā‘anapali Golf Courses. It’s lesson day with Kā‘anapali’s PGA Teaching Professional Chris Armanini, who is trying to get his young charges to make a very important decision.

“Okay, we’ve got Captain America, Spiderman, Batman. Which golf ball are you gonna choose?” Armanini prods his students. “Sometimes, this is the hardest part of the lesson!”

Armanini leads 8-year-old Nylah Silvey and her 6-year-old brother Hudson into the bunker. They draw squares around their balls, and Coach Chris reminds them to “splash the sand” to pitch their way out of the sand trap. Giggling follows.

In just five minutes of watching Armanini and the kids, it is clear why he is a 2022 recipient of the PGA Junior League Game Changer Award. The award recognizes coaches with the most players participating in the PGA Junior League in the country and their PGA section for the 2022 calendar year. Armanini has grown his program at Kā‘anapali Golf Courses from about a dozen kids to 100. His rapport with his students is engaging, fun and informative without being overbearing.

“I grew up on Maui and took the junior golf classes where they lined you up and made sure everything was tucked in. You dotted all the I’s and crossed all the T’s, and it just wasn’t as fun for me,” Armanini said. “When the kids are having fun, and they are learning by asking questions and their own experiences, it will be an even more well-rounded program for them. They will want to keep coming back to it.”

Armanini credits the pandemic as part of the reason why his program skyrocketed. Many team sports were canceled. Golf was an alternative.

“Golf and this course became a special sanctuary for my kids during Covid,” said Nylah and Hudson’s father, Matthew Silvey. “They felt safe, had a great time, learned, and met other like-minded kids.”

Armanini also credits the atmosphere at Kā‘anapali Golf Courses for the success of the juniors program. He said the support provided by the resort is unique.

“The kids are welcome here. They feel like they belong,” Armanini said. “Some of the golf courses don’t always portray that. They might not be kid-friendly, but out here in Kā‘anapali, we want the entire family to come out and play.”

Not all junior golfers can play on a course like the one at Kā‘anapali. Armanini thinks that gives his players an edge.

“It does because they are playing year-round golf out here,” he said. “The tough part is when they go to the mainland, the grass is different, the climate is different, the golf courses are designed a little differently, so they must adjust on the fly. But, for right now, I just want to get them out here having fun. That way, they’re going to be hooked on golf for the rest of their lives.”

Nylah and Hudson are hooked on the sport. But they also participate in other activities, including soccer, horseback riding and jujitsu.

“As a parent, that’s one of the things that impresses me about Coach Chris,” Silvey said. “He encourages the kids to try new things and to do other activities. He doesn’t make them feel like they can only focus on the golf game.”

Armanini’s approach to teaching golf revolves around developing a well-rounded athlete, not just a good golfer.

“We come out a couple of times a week and kind of dangle the carrot in front of them,” he said. “If they want to keep doing it, great. If they don’t and they want to go surfing, or they want to play basketball or whatever it is, let them do that too.”

For her part, Nylah said she likes her lessons with Coach Chris because he is patient. Her brother Hudson also said he is very kind.

“I agree with that assessment 100 percent!” added their dad. “Chris has a special gift.”