STEPHEN RICCIO
SHAWVILLE Sept. 23, 2020
A new golf program is teeing off at Pontiac High School (PHS) as teachers look to provide activities for students while still following COVID-19 health guidelines.
Darcy Findlay, who teaches phys ed. and ethics at PHS, is leading the charge on the sports introduction.
He said that sign-ups for the program are already done and that students should . . .
look in the school bulletin this week for an announcement on when three mandatory after school sessions will take place, which will be on PHS property.
After that, students will pay a $40 fee so that they can get four sessions in at Pine Lodge Golf Course, a fee that Findlay said is heavily discounted.
“We have all different experiences, some kids golfed 30 rounds this summer and some have never swung a golf club,” Findlay said of the students. “Which is great, that’s great.”
Overall, 20 students signed up and he said he expects at least ten to stick around after all the sessions.
After the rounds on the green at Pine Lodge, the students who score the best or lowest will make up a team that could end up going to battle against a group of teachers for fun.
The golf club joins the running club as the only sports at the school at this point in time.
“[We’re] trying to offer as much as we can to give the kids opportunities because obviously there’s so many rules this year and restrictions and stuff that it’s nice to distract them and allow them to have some fun,” Findlay said. “[The] golf courses are still open and we can still follow all the COVID restrictions.”
He said he hopes the program can get up and running and eventually go beyond just PHS, with the chance at playing golf teams at schools in Renfrew or Arnprior next year.
“It’s really just the initial stage of trying to get something bigger and better going here.”
