When Dave Perez took his two young daughters to a free clinic during Take Your Daughter to the Course Week two years ago, he had no idea that simple introduction to the game would have a lasting impact on them as well as dozens of other children in the North Carolina community of Apex.
Perez remembers his love for the game starting when his grandfather handed him a golf club when he was 4. He played competitively in high school and college, but his passion turned from player to coach when he introduced daughters, Allyson and Hannah, to golf two years ago during Take Your Daughter to the Course Week, a program developed by the NGCOA and now part of golf’s industry-wide campaign to increase golf participation.
Thinking his daughters, ages 10 and 8 at the time, might enjoy the day and maybe even get hooked on the game, Perez took the girls to a 45-minute clinic at The Preserve at Jordan Lake Golf Club in Chapel Hill, N.C., one of more than 1,000 courses participating in Take Your Daughter to the Course Week that year.
When he saw how much his girls loved the game, Perez decided to see if golf would be contagious among his daughters’ peers at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church and School in Apex.
Two years later, the school has an enthusiastic and growing golf program with 23 students. In its first year, the St. Mary Magdalene golf team had 13 players, three of whom were girls. The team now has 16 boys and seven girls.
“We didn’t do anything special to promote the program,” said Perez. “The children did all of the work. They have fun, so they tell their friends about it.”
Not only have Perez’s daughters improved dramatically, other children are reaping the benefits of the program as well.
“The golf team may never have happened if it weren’t for my daughters’ interests,” said Perez. “And now all of the children have an opportunity to learn a game they can play for years to come.”
Perez plans to continue coaching the team with the help of assistant coach Roger Livingston and LPGA Director of Instruction Dona Lerner, who coincidentally, led the clinic that introduced the Perez girls to the game as part of Take Your Daughter to the Course Week two years ago.
During Take Your Daughter to the Course Week, participating facilities offer free greens fees as well as instructional clinics for junior girls who are accompanied by a paying adult. The July 7-13 nationwide event is an easy way for courses to increase play in their communities and for families to enjoy time together on the course. Golfers, as well as golf course owners and operators, can learn more about the program at www.playgolfamerica.com.