KOMOKA, Ont. – On Sunday, May 26, the London Junior Golf Development Centre at FireRock Golf Club and PGA of Canada professional Brian Gallant were honoured as the 2018 Future Links Facility of the Year.
The London Junior Golf Development Centre had over 300 participants in its Future Links, driven by Acura Learn to Play program in 2018. In addition, Gallant and his academy staff have fostered relationships with a number of local schools running the Future Links Golf in Schools program and have hosted them on field trips to the facility.
FireRock has grown their junior program from just 20 kids in 2012 to almost 500 in 2018, an exceptional accomplishment and testament to their dedication to future of the sport.
A unique initiative Gallant took was approaching Oxbow Glen Golf Course to provide two additional tee blocks that play from 3,000 yards and 3,600 yards. The shorter distance is ideal for juniors just starting the sport, and Oxbow Glen became the first course in the London-area offering six tee blocks.
Golf Canada senior manager of grow the game, Adam Hunter was on hand to celebrate the achievement with Gallant and the FireRock Golf Club staff. Prior to the award presentation and BBQ reception, Gallant lead a junior golfers through a Future Links Junior Skills Challenge.
Gallant has been teaching golf since 2005 and has been previously recognized on the local and provincial level. In 2011, he was awarded the Ontario Coaching Excellence Award and the Ontario Golf Coach Award for his dedication to recreational and grass roots golf.
This is a busy week for FireRock Golf Club, as the course is welcoming the best student-athlete golfers for the Canadian University/College Championship.
The inaugural Future Links Facility of the Year Award was presented in 2013.