“PRO” FILES – TEACHING PROFESSIONAL NATE DEAKIN

By Nate Deakin, Level III Member, Pekin, Illinois I am a Level III certified teaching pro, and about four months ago I took a job at Quail Meadows Golf Course in Washington, Illinois. I have created a huge junior program here so far, working with the Fon du Lac Park District, East Peoria school district, and Hook-a-Kid and Kids Golf Foundation. Not only do I run weekly junior group lessons for ages four all the way through 18, I run two different competitive junior leagues and a free SNAG program every week. Also, I am responsible for holding two tee-level clinics where 40 underprivileged kids get a brand-new Tour Edge golf set, shirt, hat, golf balls, Chip Beck’s Grip Guides, and 15 hours of instruction – all for free through the Kids Golf Foundation.  In private and group junior programs and lessons alone, I have reached out to over 200 kids, and if the East Peoria school district agrees to hold SNAG, it will be more in the realm of 600 kids or more, so I could not be happier. Quail Meadows is a great facility and has great employees. The range and short-game area are great for teaching, and Tom Wolff, the director, has nothing but thoughts of making it even better. My goal is to make Quail Meadows one of the biggest, if not the biggest, supporter of junior golf. For next season, I already have been asked by the Washington and Metamora junior facilities and school to expand my program, so the sky is the limit right now. And, that’s just scratching the surface, because I also have created multiple senior, women’s, adult, and special-needs programs.  So, I teach not only juniors, but all ages, genders, and golf skills. I have nothing but hopes and dreams for Quail Meadows and my programs, and so far, a lot of them are becoming true very quickly.