5 January 2014 – MST GOLF Academy held its annual Junior Award Day on 5 January 2014 at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (KLGCC). 2014 marks the 10th year that MST GOLF has been running its Junior development programs, which was incepted in 2004.
Over 100 academy juniors as well as their parents and golf instructors were present at the event, hosted at the R&R Café at KLGCC. The main highlight of the event was the presentation of the Top 20 order of merit Juniors at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club academy, which had performed well in attendance and weekly competitions.
There were also fun activities such as team competitions for golf trick shots and lucky draw prizes for all the attending academy juniors. The event and goodies were supported by sponsors Titleist, Callaway, Wilson Staff and Gatorade.
MST GOLF Director, Paul Gibbons said, “Up to 2013, we have 2 separate junior golf academy programs. From 2014, we have consolidated the junior programs at KLGCC, where we’ve increased both the number of instructors and the numbers of classes held. This year, 300 kids have participated in our programs on a regular basis, and we are encouraged to see the older children progressing to more private instruction or smaller group coaching. We are also glad to see parents getting far more involved; allowing their children to spend more time on the course in order to be more dedicated to the game.”
MST GOLF Academy Director of Instruction, Dean Hartman shared in his welcome note, “Our junior development program at MST GOLF Junior Academy is a structured 9-level learning program that emphasises on instilling life skills and core values in the children. In an independent Youth Development Research, it was shown that as juniors perform better in the program, they also reported higher confidence academically and in socialising with their peers.”
“Our academy team and Golf Pros are constantly seeking ways to ensure the children within our academy grow in golf, mental, etiquette, and learning skills which can help craft a solid foundation in their development. We thank all the parents and your support and hope that they will be the next world junior champion,” added Hartman.
Since its inception in 2004, MST GOLF Academy has produced 7 world junior champions: Galvin Green, Ervin Chang, Natasha Andrea Oon, Winnie Ng, Wolfgang Glawe and Brian Teoh. These young golfers have made the long journey to the United States to play in the Callaway Junior World Championship, TaylorMade World Masters of Junior Golf, US Teen Championship and US Kids Championships, amongst others. They are seeking to build their resumes with the hopes of earning college scholarship and a possible career as a professional golfer.
Among the highlights of 2013 for the MST GOLF academy junior golfers were informative and interactive golf clinics from some of the world’s best playing professionals: Michelle Wie and Suzann Peterson at the ‘Inside the Ropes with Nike’ golf clinic and Junior Golf Clinic with Feng Shan Shan and Cindy Lee-Pridgen during the Sime Darby LPGA Tournament.
Going forward into 2014, MST GOLF Junior Academy recently launched the KLGCC Peak Performance Junior Program (PPJP) designed specifically for elite junior golfers to train based on a peak performance training for professional players. The year-long program adopts a holistic approach and covers all aspects of the game, geared towards maximising performance and ingraining the fundamental base needed to sustain the long-term development of a player. The program is available exclusively at KLGCC.
Besides the MST GOLF Junior Academy Program and KLGCC PPJP, MST GOLF Academy also runs other elite training programs like the Sime Darby LPGA Development Program, National Elite Junior Training Program and PGM Peak Performance Academy Program. Corporate Golf Programs and individual and group lessons are also available.