‘All Square’ Enrichment Program Relates Golf to Life

In match-play competition ‘all square’ means the match is tied.

Seth Pearman says “I constantly relate golf to life. My goal is to grow the game in the Bay Area by making the sport more accessible to everyone. I’m working to get golf back to ‘All Square’ with everyone having equal access to the game, including the students I instruct.” Seth currently teaches AEF’s After School Enrichment golf class at Love Elementary School, but his after school classes are open to all Alameda school students.

Seth began his golf journey in high school, but the love of the game really flourished in college. He attended James Madison University in Virginia while working with The First Tee – a youth development organization that integrates golf with a life skills curriculum to empower young people. Seth subsequently moved to Miami where his golf career took off. He became the First Assistant and Tournament Director of a Platinum 260 acre golf facility, and earned the title ‘PGA Assistant of The Year’. He moved to the Bay Area and established his All Square Golf Academy with a US Kids Level 1 coaching certificate.

We asked Seth a few questions about why his golf program is so successful with kids.

AEF: Seth, tell us about how you approach teaching golf to kids who may have never tried it before or even seen it played?

Seth: When teaching golf to students who are brand new to the game I try to make associations with other sports or activities that the students may already have experience in. For example, most have played tic-tac-toe, tossed a frisbee, or thrown a ball. If a student has tossed a ball to a friend then they already have the basis of trajectories and ball flight, if a student has rolled a ball or bounced a ball to a friend then they understand the concepts of putting vs chipping. I will also use games like tic-tac-toe to demonstrate how to control putting speed or chipping distance while simultaneously learning about proper alignment and strategy. What many do not know is that golf mechanics incorporate many of the kinematic motions that children do every day but in new orientation, a golf swing. Finally, as the students progress they begin to learn the meat of the game: etiquette, order of play, rules, shot shaping, and course management.

AEF: What does SNAG stand for and how is it used in your classes?

Seth: SNAG stands for ‘Starting New At Golf’. I used this equipment at my facility in Miami and discovered then that it was a great tool for teaching beginners. The equipment has oversized golf clubs and a version of tennis balls that stick to their intended targets depending on the lesson for that day. I use the SNAG equipment to teach the basics: grip, stance, alignment, order of play, and scoring. The grips are color-coded making it easier for new students to learn how to hold the club. The equipment includes three “SNAG-holes” which we place around the field to create a mock-golf course teaching students the purpose of the game (to complete the course in the lowest amount of strokes or “points”) and different parts of a golf course; mainly tee box, fairway, and putting green.

AEF: How do you think learning golf helps students in their everyday lives or with their academics?

Seth: We live in a world where everything is easily accessible and patience has been somewhat of a lost attribute. Golf is a game of integrity and patience. I say this because it is the only sport in which the athlete calls penalties on themselves even if they think they’ve committed an infraction, and there are no referees therefore it would be very easy to cheat making integrity paramount. Are these not the same lessons we are trying to teach our youth in the classroom and in life? Secondly, it’s not “fast-paced” like our traditional sports; basketball, hockey, soccer, and football so students must be mentally strong in order to keep their minds from wandering when they wait for their playing partners to hit their shot because it could be 5 minutes before you get to hit your ball again; how do we stay “in the moment” during these slow times? I teach methods on how to keep your mind occupied and focused on the task at hand which ultimately will serve them well as they grow and move through this world.

AEF: Your courses are open to students with adaptive needs. How does that integration work? What would you say to parents/guardians of an adaptive-need child who is interested in taking golf?

Seth: I believe the integration has worked well. I’ve come to find throughout my years of teaching that kids simply want to belong to something: a team, a group, a club. The great part about my golf class is that there is a myriad of skill levels and we are all learning something new together. The SNAG golf equipment is great because it can be used for different skill-building exercises and activities that can be tailored to any skill level. As I previously mentioned most students have the basic motor skills to toss a ball or swing a bat, I simply take those skills and make them golf-specific. My adaptive needs students participate in all the same skill challenges but with a slight variation, maybe throwing the ball into the chipping targets instead of trying to hit the ball with a club or I will demonstrate how to swing a golf club by using a baseball bat, really engraining the movement and similarities between the two. To any parent who is hesitant to get their child involved, I would say that there are many ways to play the game; too many people get fixated on the traditional way of doing things but there are ways to make everything accessible if people and their perceptions are willing to adapt.

AEF: Overall, how has your experience been working with AEF’s After School Enrichment program?

Seth: I’ve had a great experience working with AEF. This is my third year working with AEF throughout the school year and at Summer Camps. The support that their programs and I receive has not been overlooked. I ask a lot of questions and each time they are promptly responded to and clearly explained…I enjoy working with AEF and hope to continue this partnership in the future.

You can watch videos of Seth’s after school classes and summer camps here.