TGA PREMIER

TGA Premier Sports Makes Golf Accessible for Kids

STORY BY CARL MICKELSON

Sitting here “sheltered in place” watching my kids take internet classes then having recess in the confines of our backyard trampoline, I’m reminded of times that suddenly seem simpler yet uncomfortably far away. One in particular was a fall visit to one of the most innovative introductory juniorgolf-in-schools programs I’ve seen in years.

While TGA Premier Sports-- which has chapters in Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio-- currently has its enrich ment programs in online-only mode, their business model is too good not to share. When TGA programs return to these communities, you should consider signing up a child you know who could use more sports in their lives.

You might find James Casteel’s after-school TGA Premier Golf of Tarrant County class decidedly louder than other golf programs you may have seen. However, compared to the un fettered chaos of kids at play in the adjacent open field — a never-ending game of tag (that, at times, resembles rugby), a toddler toppling unexpectedly over the top of a soccer ball the size of her entire torso and rowdy footballers trying to make their spirals sing through the wind in the key of Dak Prescott— the golf class looks as mellow as a yoga retreat in a Tibetan monastery. From a distance, Casteel and his 22 ele mentary-school-aged pupils, in their warm-up-stretch poses, almost appear to be moving in slow motion in the sectionedoff space Casteel has reserved (and organized into stations) for this weekly hour-long session.

“During our stretches, it’s a great time to get everyone focused and ping them with some questions that jog their memories on what we worked on in our last class,” Casteel, a veteran golf instructor and TGA Premier Sports of Tarrant County owner, says. “It’s also the best time to review the academic lessons (TGA classes cleverly incorporate science, technology, reading and math (STEAM) into the PhD-de signed class curriculum) so I’ll ask, ‘Who remembers what we learned about the effects of gravity… or spin?’ It always helps to engage their brains early, before we start hitting shots.”

TGA’s innovative before- and after-school enrichment programs and local sports camps bring developmental golf, tennis and an array of team sports directly to the students, saving parents travel and time while engaging kids in healthy new activities. Casteel’s Metroplex-area franchise is one of 77 TGA Premier Sports chapters nationwide. TGA (an acronym for Teach, Grow, Achieve) is on pace to enroll its one millionth student in 2021 since launching in 2003.

Five-year-old Chance’s eyes follow “Coach James” almost constantly during the hour. He’s timid but attentive and seri ous about improving his golf skills. He raises his hand frequently as Casteel engages the group, but only if college-aged Coach Taylor is at his side, a buffer from the stares of the much bigger kids in the group. When the class breaks into sta tions, Chance’s face reveals how well he executes each chip. His confidence soars as he’s the only participant to drop all seven chip shots into the target zone. He accomplishes this twice before it’s time to switch stations. For this shining moment, our rail-thin hero is the Short Game King.

Station-based lessons keep every participant busy throughout the hour and reveal the crafted genius of the TGA lesson plan, which uses a handbook that is a lively mix of introduc

tory golf with academic fundamentals that relate to the sport. By catering to new golfers ages five to 12 (70 percent of TGA participants and families have never played golf) and making golf available to the masses, TGA is activating a new generation of lifelong golfers.

Meagan, age 8, brings big energy, big laughter and an already-obvious natural athleticism to the class. By the 15-minute mark, she’s already asked about “hitting drivers” three times. Tonight, she’ll have to wait until her third rota tion before she and her group “let the Big Dog eat.” Chipping and putting sessions fly by, though, and soon Meagan is making exuberant three-quarter swings into a net with park- and backyard-safe plastic TGA limited-flight golf balls. Casteel explains that TGA students learn a small (repeatable) “Tick-Tock” swing first before graduating to half- then threequarter and full swings (toward colorful targets) so they develop distance control and pick up golf’s often-daunting movements in achievable steps.

TGA Premier Golf creates accessible and simple player pathway for students and their families to build on their newfound golf passion and advance further in the sport. TGA programs are leading juniors to participating in other na tional golf programs like PGA Junior League and Drive, Chip & Putt, as well as playing on high school and college teams. With registration fees significantly less than $200, TGA’s sixor eight-week enrichment programs are also extremely affordable for families interested in starting their kids in golf. “Our goal is to be the first step for juniors entering golf’s player pathway while specializing in introductory and rec reational programs,’” says TGA Premier Sports CEO and founder Joshua Jacobs. “TGA gives kids and families a solid foundation to learn the sport in schools and community cen ters while providing a seamless transition to the golf course.” TGA provides all of the equipment for kids at no cost in the program, including its own line of custom golf equipment to provide all players an affordable option to get into the sport. The program can also be utilized anywhere on school campuses regardless of weather, including gymnasiums, hall ways, cafeterias, fields and blacktops. “It’s incredible how fast an hour goes by but you can see a real sense of joy and accomplishment on the kids’ faces by the end of each class,” Casteel says. “The more they get into the groove of hitting shots into the targets or sinking putts, you hear a lot of eruptions of excitement.”

Right on cue, Chance, now brimming with all the confidence of Steph Curry uncontested from the three-point line, breezes through the Putting session by jarring five of

six putts. Smiles all around. Next, at the Full Swing station, he takes a rip with the driver and the ball nails the flagstick on the fly. Without missing a beat, he informs the class is his work is done for the day, leaning on his driver with absolute satisfaction.

“TGA really makes a big impact on kids and their fami lies,” says Casteel. “Our kids get such a rewarding experience, meeting new friends, learning from successes and failures and seeing how far they can push themselves. We have multiple kids who started out very young with TGA and now play competitively for their high school teams.”

For more information about TGA Premier Sports slates of fun-filled Summer Camps and Fall In-School Enrichment programs, visit www. playtga.com or follow @ TGA_Sports on Twitter.

TGA Premier Golf Chapters in Texas:

TGA of Austin - www.playtga/austin TGA of North San Antonio – www.playtga/nsa

Dallas TGA of Tarrant County – www.playtga/tarrantcounty TGA of Northwest Collin County – www.playtga/nwcollin TGA of South Denton County - www.playtga/sdenton

Houston TGA of North Houston - www.playtga/northhouston TGA of West Houston - www.playtga/ westhouston