Planting the Seeds — Year 1 of Golf at Ile Omode School 2023

When we first stepped onto the campus of Ile Omode School, we arrived with golf clubs in hand and a vision in mind — to introduce students to the beautiful game of golf through a weekly on-campus enrichment program. Every Tuesday and Thursday from 9–10AM, our team worked with curious young minds, rotating between 2nd/3rd graders on Tuesdays and preschool through 1st grade on Thursdays.

We had hoped to simply teach basic golf skills — grip, stance, swing — but quickly discovered a much greater challenge. Many of the students had not yet developed the foundational motor skills necessary to even begin swinging a club. So we pivoted. Leaning into the ADM (American Development Model), we brought in elements from other sports: hockey, tennis, baseball, and movement games like skipping, throwing, and jumping.

This shift not only supported their physical literacy but also kept the sessions dynamic and fun. What started as a golf class transformed into a holistic movement and development program, laying the groundwork for athletic confidence and coordination.