A Dream and Vision Fulfilled

At first it was a dream, now it is a vision and soon it will be a reality. Pro Kids Golf Academy and Learning Center in San Diego will soon have a beautiful new 7,700 square ft. clubhouse to call home. The address hasn’t changed, but the old dilapidated, run down 3,000 sq. ft building they called a clubhouse has been replaced with a state of the art dream clubhouse that will be instrumental in helping the kids build their confidence and self esteem. They will be proud to call Colina Park “home”.

Pro Kids was founded only seven years ago, to help get kids off the streets and onto the fairways. A small group of San Diego businessman wanted to expose more inner city children to the game of golf. Colina Park was a city run 18 hole pitch and putt course right in the heart of City Heights, a section of San Diego better known for its’ gangs and drug dealers. Although the gangs and the drugs are still prevalent in the this part of town, Pro Kids Golf Academy is doing its best to educate kids not only about golf – but about life. Chip Bolden, the Director of Golf at Pro Kids sums it up best stating “ It is our mission to give these kids who are not necessarily given many chances to succeed, a safe environment to develop life skills, to set goals, and dream big dreams. We want the kids to excel socially, academically, athletically, and to become productive leaders of society with integrity, strong family values, and a commitment to community.”

Most golfers realize golf and life parallel each other more than we would like to admit. Golf is a sport that teaches honesty, integrity, discipline, determination, patience, and sportsmanship. Kids – all kids – of every ethnic race imaginable, and with no regard to economic status, are provided the opportunity to develop the necessary skills to succeed in all areas of their life.

The Academy and Learning Center will provide the safe environment kids need to develop. The programs will empower them to dream about their future, establish goals, build confidence and self esteem, help them with family relationships, and create a sense of belonging to a stable community. All of the programs established at Pro Kids enable the kids to develop skills that will help them socially, intellectually, and physically. The kids are truly given an incredible opportunity to develop into adults with a passion for life, desires to help others, and hope for the future.

Pro Kids has had great success achieving their goals in regard to its youth golf programs, and is now a model program for The First Tee, a national initiative of the World Golf Foundation. The World Golf Foundation is an organization dedicated to providing affordable and accessible playing and learning opportunities for beginner golfers. The Tiger Woods Foundation is also involved with Pro Kids in that it donates money that is specifically earmarked for education - namely computer education.

Chip Bolden is quick to point out that the progress they have made over the last six years has been realized because of the incredible generosity, and tireless efforts of many, many, people. The new $1.3 million dollar clubhouse would have been a mere dream if it were not for the $900,000 that BIA Cares of Kids has raised - and donated – for the building expenses. “The Building Industry Association has given us an incredible start, IBM has donated computers for the 20 station computer learning center, and the Golf Writers Association of America has donated the library. Many people have contributed and helped improve our golf center, and now our dream center is under development. Pro Kids appreciates all of the support and will continue to create measurable goals for all components of our programs Improving the golf course will be our next phase of development.”, adds Bolden proudly.

One of the measurable goals Bolden refers to is the return rate. Many children are exposed to the programs through direct outreach programs and elective P.E. programs, but Pro Kids wants to measure if these kids are returning to use the facilities and services on their own. “ It is one thing to choose golf for P.E., just because you don’t want to run the mile and quite another if a child chooses to invest his/her free time here with us. We want the percentage of kids who return to us to use the programs, and then to be certified to move to the next level to grow each year.”, Bolden emphasized.

Colina Park had less than 10,000 rounds being played per year in 1994 as a city run facility. Now, six years after Pro Kids purchased the facility, Colina Park now has over 40,000 rounds per year – albeit most of the 30,000 round increase is not generating revenue because they come directly from the Academy kids. There are now over 5,000 kids enrolled in some aspect of Pro Kids Golf. The programs are open to any kid from around the county. But, the majority of the orientation goes out to the local area kids who are non stereo typical of the golf population as a whole, and are those kids who normally would not be exposed to the sport. The goals have expanded from introducing minorities to the sport, to targeting at-risk kids so that Pro Kids may positively influence their lives in areas outside of sport. Main areas of focus are: staying in school, grades, mentoring, and community leadership.

Parent involvement is encouraged, but Bolden says there are all types of scenarios and kids participating. “There are many kids who have parents who are very active with our programs and we have kids whom we have become their surrogate parents.” Pro Kids are constantly challenged and the can be rewarded in many ways – one of which is scholarship award money. In 2000 Pro Kids gave out about $40,000 in scholarships and there are many Pro Kids alumni now who have returned to the facility to encourage the kids and edify the programs. “One day some of these kids will come back and they will be board members, and that’s awesome!”, Bolden beams.

Jacqui Nicoletti McSorley is co-author of Golf Guide for Parents and Players (Mansion Grove House), along wtih Johnny Gonzales. She played on the Japan LPGA Professional Tour and is currently an active supporter of her local golf community in San Diego, as she started an LPGA-USGA Girls Golf site in northern San Diego County.