Pro Kids is Coming to North County
The 4,400 square foot Ely Callaway Golf & Learning Center in Oceanside houses a swing simulator room, a computer lab, two classrooms, equipment storage, staff office, club repair center, and administrative offices. We are adjacent to the Oceanside Municipal Golf Course on Douglas Dr.
Although built to fit on a 6.5-acre site, The Honors Course presented by TaylorMade has the look and feel of a regulation golf course. The course will be ready for play in January 2013 and consists of six holes ranging in length from 53 to 112 yards, with multiple tees for a full range of short game shots. Large greens offer multiple hole locations. Two practice greens, one for chipping and pitching and the other for putting, are provided. Adult public play is not available on the course.
Key members of the team include board members Steve McCracken, chair of our committee, Bill Hayer of Hayer Architecture, leading the design team and Fred Arbuckle, chair of the Capital Campaign! Course design was prepared by Gary Bye of Rainville-Bye Golf Course Architects. Lusardi Construction was the general contractor.
We look forward to providing the kids of Oceanside and neighboring communities the type of instruction and mentoring that has benefited the youth of City Heights for 17 years.
We started golf instruction for 4th and 5th grade students at Reynolds Elementary on September 24 and opened our Ely Callaway Golf and Learning Center the same day. We have 65 registered members with more coming in every day.
The Need
The community we’re targeting in Oceanside is similar to, but different from, the population we serve in City Heights. Both have culturally diverse populations, including many recent immigrants. Many residents of both areas live below the poverty level. Some 68 percent of students enrolled in the schools in our Oceanside service area qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program. Pro Kids will be free to students enrolled in that program as well as children of active duty military.
We want to increase the number of elementary and middle school children in Oceanside who have access to our holistic approach of educational programs, community service opportunities, and golf and life skills classes.
Our facility is within three miles of ten elementary, two middle, and two high schools. Our golf and life skills instruction will be available six days a week and Learning Center access available five days a week.
Our Program Goals
We plan to serve at least 400 children per year via the school partnership program and 500 after school and on weekends. We intend to maintain a membership retention rate of at least 40 percent. We also will create an LPGA-USGA Girls Golf program.
We will provide golf and life-skills instruction in nearby schools during PE period and after school and on Saturdays at our facility. Additionally, we’ll provide educational opportunities such as computer access, tutoring, vocational field trips, community service opportunities, and college scholarships.
To learn how you can help, please contact Penny Ranftle at pranftle@prokidsonline.org.
