The high school golf team at the Drew Charter School in Atlanta made history when it won the state championship in May 2019. The team is the only Atlanta Public Schools team that has ever won the state title in golf. Drew Charter’s golf team is also the only winning team that is entirely made up of African Americans. The success of the school’s program and the kids has captured the attention of people across the golf world, including Harold Varner III. Harold Varner III was the winner of the 2019 Calvin Peete award on Oct. 13, 2019.

Drew Charter School’s golf program

The Drew Charter School is a public school in Atlanta. While the school does not have a football team, it has a terrific golf program. The school rallies around its golf team like other schools rally around their football teams. The Drew Charter School opened in 2000, and its golf team started 15 years ago. The team practices at the Charlie Yates Golf Course, which is located near to the school. The golf program says that it dreams of having its own golf facility for future generations of golfers at the school.

All of the members of the golf team participate in the First Tee program. This program teaches young golfers both the rules and etiquette of golf and core values. The First Tee program also includes financial literacy and tax classes to help the participants to learn how to prepare for life outside of golf. The team has also been helped by the East Lake Foundation.

The help provided to the growing golf program has allowed the school to create a pipeline beginning in middle school. Students in middle school can learn to play golf through the First Tee program and continue to grow until they are ready to play on the high school’s golf team. The team also has experienced and talented coaches, including some that are PGA professionals.

Recognition

The Drew Charter School golf team was invited to attend the presentation of the Calvin Peete Award on Oct. 13, 2019. Calvin Peete was the most successful African American golfer to compete on the PGA tour before Tiger Woods. The award was given to Harold Varner III this year. While he was unable to attend, he left a video message for the Drew Charter golf team letting them know that they had caught his attention. Because of their success and talent, Varner announced that the HV3 Foundation, which Varner created in 2018 to make sports participation more affordable for children, was donating $5,000 to the Drew Charter School’s golf program. The athletes and the coaches were surprised and honored to receive the award. Instead of putting the money to immediate use, Drew Charter School plans to use it as a building block towards the eventual creation of the school’s own golf facility.

Value of golf

The accomplishments of the Drew Charter School high school golf team should make everyone proud. These young athletes have demonstrated that golf is a great sport and that kids can learn important life lessons when they learn the game of golf. Golf teaches kids how to follow the rules of etiquette when they interact with others. It also helps students to learn discipline and social skills that can help them throughout their lives.

If you want your child to learn golf, Aussie Kids has many golf programs for kids in the Atlanta metro area, including summer and winter golf camps, private golf lessons, group golf lessons, and others. To learn more about golf lessons for your children, contact us today by filling out our contact form or by calling one of our four locations.