BCGA School Golf program

Golf British Columbia is pleased to announce that Kathy Gook has been hired in the newly created position of Director of School Golf.

Gook, a Class A member of the LPGA, currently divides her time teaching golf in her home town of Quesnel, BC, and in Scottsdale, AZ. In recent years she has been involved in growing the game of golf in Northern BC by creating and administering elementary school golf programs and working with the Girls’ Only Golf Club, as well as coaching the Zone 8 golf team at the 2010 BC Summer Games.

"I’m thrilled to be returning to my home province and look forward to helping grow golf in BC by introducing the sport to children and youth,” said Gook. “Working with Golf British Columbia and the Playground to Fairway program is an excellent opportunity for me to share my passion for golf and make a positive impact in the provincial school system.”

As the Director of School Golf, Gook will coordinate the Playground to Fairway province-wide school golf program and will take the lead in the development of a five year school golf strategy. She will work on expanding Playground to Fairway to include all grades from K-12, beginning with the creation of a new physical literacy based K-3 program which has been made possible with funding provided by the Province of BC and 2010 Legacies Now.

“Kathy brings a wealth of experience to this new role and a demonstrated commitment to growing the game of golf,” said Debbie Pyne, Managing Director of Player Development for Golf British Columbia. “Working hand-in-hand with schools and our member clubs, she will play a major part in leading British Columbia to develop the best school golf program in Canada.”

Gook, who graduated from Simon Fraser University with a minor in Kinesiology, is TPI Level III Junior Golf certified, sits on the Arizona Junior Golf Association Board of Directors and also an educator for the LPGA National Education Program. She has twice been named by the LPGA as one of their Top 50 Golf Instructors and this year Golf Digest magazine named Gook one of the 50 Best Women Teachers in America.