FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2024 (Paradise Island, Bahamas) – Sarah Scheidecker has been playing golf for six years and she has learned the life lessons that golf can teach.
“Golf is fun, and I like to compete. I have a lot of trophies and a lot of medals, but golf is about more than winning,” says the 10-year-old who is wise beyond her years. “Golf is about having fun, but if I win, I am allowed to celebrate.”
Scheidecker, who has a low score of 35 for nine holes, was one of about 60 young golfers (boys and girls) between the ages of 6 and 16 who came out to the practice facility operated by the Bahamas Golf Federation in Nassau. The youth are enrolled at the Fourteen Club Golf Academy, directed by Georgette Rolle, a former professional golfer who realized her dream of bringing golf to the youth of the Bahamas nine years ago.
Rolle’s program already has had a handful of its youth be offered college scholarships in the United States, following in the footsteps of Rolle, who earned a scholarship and played at Texas Southern University.
“We have about 400 kids participating in the program part-time, with more than 50 regulars who come out almost every day, says Rolle. “The program continues to grow, and we are successful in teaching golf and life skills through golf.”
While the petite and quiet Scheidecker stole the show, she wasn’t the only notable golfer among the group, who was treated to a 90-minute clinic of chipping, putting and driving by Texas A&M head coach Gerrod Chadwell and his team.
Thirteen-year-old Zakary Joseph showed his prowess by hitting his tee shot as far as Aggies’ top player Cayetana Fernandez, a sophomore who is currently the No. 30 ranked women’s amateur in the world.
“I enjoy the competition and the people in golf,” says Joseph, who has been playing for only four years, but already aspires to earn a college scholarship. “My older brother got me interested in golf and now I practice almost every day. I hope that someday I can play on the PGA Tour.”
Texas A&M is one of 10 teams competing in the upcoming college event, along with Abilene Christian, Baylor, College of Charleston, Coastal Carolina, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Purdue and Xavier.
This is the fifth year for the annual golf tournament, which is played annually at the Ocean Club Golf Course. Texas, Campbell, Lipscomb and Kansas State are the past women’s winners over the 6,385-yard layout designed by past major champion Tom Weiskopf.
For more coverage of the 2024 White Sands Bahamas NCAA Invitational, follow @WhiteSandsBah on social media and use the following hashtags: #WhiteSandsBahamas and #WhiteSandsNCAA or visit WhiteSandsBahamas.com
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ABOUT THE BAHAMAS
With over 700 islands and cays and 16 unique island destinations, The Bahamas lies just 50 miles off the coast of Florida, offering an easy fly-away escape that transports travelers away from their everyday. The Islands of The Bahamas have world-class fishing, diving, boating and thousands of miles of the earth’s most spectacular water and beaches waiting for families, couples and adventurers. Explore all the islands have to offer at www.bahamas.com or on Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram to see why “It’s Better in The Bahamas.”
ABOUT OCEAN CLUB GOLF COURSE
Atlantis Paradise Island’s Ocean Club Golf Course offers a challenging and beautiful course for golfers desiring championship play. Masterfully conceived, the Tom Weiskopf-designed 18-hole, par 72 championship course stretches over 7,100 yards on Atlantis’ peninsula. The course has hosted iconic sporting events such as the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational (MJCI), the Michael Douglas & Friends Celebrity Golf Tournament and the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic. For more information about Atlantis Paradise Island Resort and the Ocean Club please visit www.atlantisbahamas.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For White Sands Bahamas NCAA Invitational
Contact: Mike Harmon
[email protected]
BAHAMAS MINISTRY OF TOURISM, INVESTMENTS & AVIATION CONTACT:
Anita Johnson-Patty
[email protected]
ATLANTIS CONTACT:
Katie Longley
Atlantis Paradise Island
242-376-1034
[email protected]
