Sam Barrett’s love of golf fueled his idea for his recent Eagle Scout project. After a few emails and meetings with Country Oaks Golf Course, Barrett developed a solid idea.
“I love golf,” said Barrett, a tenth grader at Brookwood School. “I knew I wanted to work on a project to help grow the game, and working with Country Oaks was the perfect opportunity for me to share a way for people to learn more about the sport.”
In order to become an Eagle Scout, a Boy Scout develops a project that demonstrates leadership and also benefits the community. Mike Owens, PGA Professional at Country Oaks Golf Course, met with Barrett and suggested Forward Tees and Markers for Barrett’s project.
Forward Tees allow beginners or young players to play from a set of tees best suited to their driving distance. The tees allow for a better chance of reaching the green because players have a closer shot placement.
“We’ve had Forward Tees at Country Oaks that were made of metal plates,” mentioned Owens. “Grass easily grew over them, and there was no good way to mark them so golfers could find them.”
Barrett spent time measuring, spotting, and developing locations for new Forward Tees and created markers to identify them. Owens then checked and approved Barrett’s design. In late May, Barrett and a group of friends spent a day installing the new tees and markers.
“It took about five hours,” mentioned Barrett. “I drilled holes for the markers and used PVC pipe to hold the markers in place.” The new markers are constructed from a rubberized material, so mowers can easily mow over them without harming them or moving them out of place.
“Since Sam’s a golfer, he put a lot of thought into his design,” noted Owens.
After installation, Barrett contacted the Thomasville YMCA and invited a class from the child care center to try out the new tees and markers. This past week, about 20 child care students, along with Barrett and friends, played a few holes of golf to promote the project.
“It was a great opportunity,” mentioned Barrett.
“I enjoyed working with Sam,” said Owens. “For a public golf course like Country Oaks, it’s important for us to welcome beginners to the game. Golf can be a difficult game and being able to play from a shorter distance helps new golfers enjoy the game and have fun.”
Country Oaks Golf Course is owned and operated by the City of Thomasville. For more information, contact (229) 225-4333 or visit countryoaksgolfcourse.org.