A golf academy for kids in grades 9 to 12 is the first of its kind in the Okanagan and will open in Vernon this September. The Rink Academy and Predator Ridge Golf Resort have partnered to create the program, which will run during the regular school year. Kids will be golfing during the morning and then going to school in the afternoon in one of the cabins on Predator Ridge. “This gives kids an opportunity to really work on their game, like you would never have this opportunity if you're just going to school,” said Rink Academy executive director, Maco Balkovec. Along with the golf training and schooling, the academy includes golf specific strength training to help kids advance their game. When the course closes for the winter, training is provided in simulators and short game facilities. “The fitness aspect of golf is helping improve and elevate the level of players. That's why everyone's hitting it so far these days. But for us, it's a key importance of developing an athlete,” said director of golf at Predator Ridge, Brodie Carle. The head coach of the academy is Kyle McMurphy. The Kelowna native is a PGA of Canada Class “A” professional and has specialized in junior coaching for the past 11 years. McMurphy finished second place in the Interior PGA Tour Order of Merit in 2024. When asked about the program, Balkovec says there are two other academies like these ran by hockey teams in Alberta, but this academy is one of the first of its kind in the Okanagan. “To be able to combine in your day the amount of practice hours that you get here. It's second to none,” said Balkovec. The golf academy is a paid program. Information on applying can be found on the Rink Golf Academy website.