VISION:

“To create an environment where junior golfers can live their dream”

1.Background:

Mossel Bay Golf Club has been doing golf development at the Club since 2006. This golf development was aimed mainly at the under- privileged kids of the Mossel Bay community. This golf development program grew annually to such an extent that in 2009 more than 40 kids were taking golf lesson from the PGA Pro. All this has been founded and paid for by the Club members.

The golf development program became so popular that kids from other towns started joining the program. The success of the program made that in 2009 a couple of our juniors qualified to play provincial golf for the Southern Cape Junior Golf Foundation. There was a desperate need for more funding to create better opportunities for these very talented junior golfers. After meeting with Louis Oosthuizen and discussing with him the need for a proper Junior Golf Academy, The Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy was founded in 2009 by Louis Oosthuizen, Petrie Cronje and Bertu Nel. A four tier golf development program for junior golfers was proposed and implemented.

2.Golf Development:

Tier 1:

At Tier 1 golf lessons are done weekly, free of charge for the juniors by way of group lessons, by a PGA Pro. He gives the juniors the basic introduction to the game of golf. They are also transported to the Club by taxis and the Club pays for these lessons and transport as it forms part of our total Golf Development Program.

Tier 2:

From Tier 1 the juniors with more dedication and talent are identified and moved into Tier 2. Here golf lessons are done weekly by the PGA Pro also in group format – but fewer juniors per group than in Tier 1. The PGA Pro identifies the best juniors and promotes them to individual, more specialized lessons. The Club pays for all group lessons and transport to the Club. The Club also has 25 sponsored junior memberships available per year for those juniors who love the game but who cannot afford membership.

Green & Gold Tier:

The best juniors from Tier 2 are identified by the PGA Pro and once they qualify, they are moved into the Green Tier and could also move into the Gold Tier of the Academy if they meet the performance criteria. Here they get specialized individual coaching, further preparing them for competition golf e.g. representing our Club in League and or the Southern Cape Junior Golf Foundation and or Southern Cape Senior Provincial teams. One of the best ways to improve your golfing ability is to play in tournaments.

The Southern Cape Golf Foundation has various tournaments that are hosted in and around our area. The Southern Cape Golf Union also stages numerous senior tournaments. We as a Club, through the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy, support this and are making sure that our juniors are up there with the best in the Southern Cape by representing our Club at Provincial level.

With the cost of golf and transportation increasing drastically it has become almost impossible for some of the families to afford the golfing expenses for their talented children. The Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy assist in covering these costs including coaching, tournament costs, Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy golf shirts, caps, golf balls, gloves etc. An annual Louis Oosthuizen Fundraising Golf Day is also held at Mossel Bay Golf Club to raise funds for the Academy. This co-inside with the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Tournament, presented in a professional pro-tournament style, giving the juniors a taste of what is waiting for them in the future.

Juniors in the whole Southern Cape must aspire to belong to the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy.

We believe that we have juniors in our club that can make it all the way to our respective Provincial teams and maybe one day even play on the professional golf tours of the world.

3.Objectives:

It is important that all of us be on the look-out for new, young talent and getting them to join the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy at Mossel Bay Golf Club. We as a Club must strive to make it easy for these juniors to be introduced to the wonderful game of golf and to also have the opportunity to be part of the golfing family of Mossel Bay Golf Club.

Since the inception, the Academy has been built around three key focus areas:

4.Green & Gold Tier of The Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy:

The first advanced level of the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy is the Green Tier.

To qualify for the Green Tier the juniors need to:

If a junior golfer qualifies to become an Academy Green Tier member he/she can apply for Green Tier membership by completing the official application form and handing it in with concise Curriculum Vitae of no more than 3 pages, which should consist of:

If there are more than 5 juniors who qualify for the Green Tier, the Founder Members will have the final decision regarding approval of membership. The Founder Members are under no obligation to provide further reasons for not accepting a junior as an Academy member or to enter into any discussions with affected parties. This process is final and binding and not appealable.

Green Tier:

There will only be 5 memberships available in the Green Tier.

Juniors that qualify for being included in the Green Tier all get the following “Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy” branded items with Green Academy 57 logos per year:

-         2 tournament shirts

-         2 casual shirts for everyday golf

Members must purchase their own black trousers, black belt and black shoes.

The Academy will also pay for the following:

Gold Tier:

Their will only be 5 memberships available in the Gold Tier.

Academy members will receive stars for different performances during the year. This will be displayed on the website of the Academy www.louis57.com . Once an Academy member receives 5 stars he will move into the Gold Tier. These badges will look the same except for the number 57 and the border will be Gold. To stay in the Gold Tier members need to:

If there are more than 5 juniors who qualify for the Gold Tier,

the 5 juniors with the most stars will be accepted. If two juniors have the same amount of stars, the Founder Members will have the final decision regarding approval of membership. The Founder Members are under no obligation to provide further reasons for not accepting a junior as an Academy member or to enter into any discussions with affected parties. This process is final and binding and not appealable.

Juniors that qualify for being included in the Gold Tier all get the following “Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy” branded items with Gold Academy 57 logos per year:

-         2 tournament shirts

-         4 casual shirts for everyday golf

The Academy will also pay for the following:

Provincial Tournaments:

Academy members playing in junior and or senior provincial tournaments get the following extra items per tournament:

5.Order of Merit:

The Academy has a website www.louis57.com . Here the profile of each player is displayed as well as stats, sponsors, next tournaments, goals for the future etc.

The player stars will be awarded on the following basis:

The Founder Members will at the end of the calendar year evaluate all Academy members and determine an “Order of Merit” winner for the year. Included in their evaluation will be the total number of stars achieved by the member, school results, overall performance in the Academy, attendance of Academy programs, behavior of the member on and off the golf course etc. The Founder Members will have the final decision in awarding the “order of Merit” winner. The Founder Members are under no obligation to provide further reasons for their decision or to enter into any discussions with affected parties. This process is final and binding and not appealable. The “Order of Merit” winner will qualify to get either a driver, fairway wood or 2 wedges as part of winning the “Order of Merit”.

When a member reaches 10 stars, the Academy will consider helping the junior to play in more National Junior events. If possible, a club fitment deal will also be negotiated with sponsors.

Although we acknowledge Senior Tournaments, the Academy only supports Junior Tournaments.

6.Termination of Membership:

7.Code of Conduct:

Parents must sign an agreement, indemnify and waiver before their child can be accepted to become a Green or Gold Tier member of the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy.

Golf is a sport that requires high standards of behavior and sportsmanship on and off the golf course and relies heavily on honesty, integrity and self-regulation. Academy Members should strive to set an example to their peers and should at all times show utmost respect towards themselves, fellow members, staff at golf clubs and the Academy that the represent.

Being a member of the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy is a privilege that is available to only 10 juniors and members are therefore expected to bear this in mind when considering their approach on the golf course and also in day-to-day life.

The following conduct both on and off the course must be adhered to:

10. Academy Members MUST wear the official Academy clothing when playing in official golf tournaments and the official Academy jacket and tie at prize giving afterwards unless a provincial uniform is required.

11. When playing practice rounds or social golf it is suggested that Academy clothing is worn as far as possible to assist in promoting the Academy.

8. Criticism:

Unwarranted and negative criticism of the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy or any of the programs run by the Academy by members or their parents in public will be seen in a very serious light. There are open lines of communication available between the Founder Members, members and their parents. Should there be any unresolved issues, parents especially are encouraged to discuss this personally with one of the Founder Members to resolve the issue.

Third party reports of criticism that have not been raised with the Founder Members could lead to the member’s immediate termination from the Academy.

9.The Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Championships:

A junior golf championship will be held annually where juniors from the Southern Cape and even all over S.A. can compete in a tournament presented in a professional manner and under professional conditions. At this day we will do marketing regarding the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy to all the participants.

10.Fundraising Golf Day for the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy:

We are hosting an annual fundraising golf day at Mossel Bay Golf Club where all profits from the day are going towards funds for the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy. If you and you company want to form a partnership with the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy by way of sponsorship and or a donation, please contact Bertu Nel.

11.Conclusion

The Academy’s programs are designed to develop a well-rounded, yet competitive individual who will, during his or her time in the Academy, be encouraged to play competitive golf and also participate positively within the activities of Mossel Bay Golf Club and the community.