The University will soon receive $120,000 on behalf ofprofessional golfers Chris Riley and David Toms of the Ryder CupTeam 2004 and the Professional Golf Association to fund a programcalled Golf: For Business and Life.
According to a press release, the program will be offered tojuniors, seniors and graduate students.
Roy Hill, kinesiology instructor and coordinator of the program,said the program mainly focuses on students majoring in business orengineering. Throughout the program students learn basic golfskills.
The program’s Web site said some of these skills includedeveloping appreciation and knowledge of the game, learning toappreciate golf’s contributions to personal exercise and pleasure,using safety precautions on the golf course and ultimately playinga round of golf.
However, the most important aspect of the program is to teachstudents “how to use golf as a business tool regardless of theirchosen careers,” according to the press release.
Hill said the program began at the University in spring 2004.During that semester, one section of the class was offered, andanother section was offered the following summer. However, twosections are offered this Fall.
Hill said instruction for the program is held on the LSU golfcourse.
According to the program’s Web site, classes last for one and ahalf to two hours.
Hill said PGA professionals teach the students. As of now, theLSU instructors are golf professionals from local country clubs whoinstruct one class each. Hill intercedes between both groups.
Currently, each section has approximately 16 students with twoinstructors who divide the class into two groups. The program’s Website states an 8 to 1 student to teacher ratio as a requirement forthe program.
Students enrolled in the course receive one hour of credit;however, Hill said some schools do not offer hourly credit forthose involved in the program.
The money for the program was donated partially by LSU graduateDavid Toms.
Hill said the money for the program is donated from Ryder Cupplayers to their alma maters in many cases. Ryder Cup Team 2004members contributed $1.3 million to 14 colleges and universitiesaround the country.
Golf: For Business and Life began in 1999. Since the program’sinception, the PGA has donated $4.5 million to 52 universitiesthroughout the country reaching approximately 14,000 students.