WESTVILLE, N.S. – CN and Golf Canada are pleased to recognize Eagles Chance Par 3 Course and Driving Range with the CN Future Links Facility of the Year award for the 2015 season.
Eagles Chance, located in the northern Nova Scotia town of Westville, earned the award for its outstanding success in delivering CN Future Links, Canada’s junior golf program. Under the direction of head professional and owner Brian Affleck, Eagles Chance excelled in delivering fundamental junior golf curriculum and values of golf through CN Future Links.
Since 2013, Affleck’s dedication to delivering junior golf programing has seen junior numbers at Eagles Chance grow from 60 to a remarkable 440 participants in activities such as Junior Skills Challenge, Girls Club and Learn to Play.
“We are very proud to acknowledge Eagles Chance Par 3 Course and Driving Range for their dedication to junior golf and the youth of the Westville community,” stated Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer. “Under the direction of head professional Brian Affleck, the golf club has exhibited outstanding leadership and commitment to delivering quality junior golf experiences in their community.”
Learn to Play, the CN Future Links feature offering, delivers a four-stage rewards program that tracks progress performance of junior participants through reports issued by the instructor. In 2015, Affleck helped 169 juniors graduate through the program.
“My first reaction was sheer enjoyment,” said Affleck when notified of the award. “I put in a lot of work into the year and a lot of long days—it’s great to be rewarded and I hope to grow our CN Future Links junior golf program even further in the years ahead.”
Affleck implemented several Get Linked initiatives to enhance the junior experience while expanding the facility’s connection to students in the community. He conducted six CN Future Links Field Trip events, which connect local students to nearby golf clubs for introductory lessons. In addition, Affleck conducted two professional visitations to sites registered in Golf in Schools—a program that CN has supported with over 150 adoptions.
“It’s great to see a lot of new faces—especially eager students at the schools,” said Affleck. “It’s fun to see the excitement in their face when they hit that ball for the first time—that’s what hits home the most with me. Lots of the students brought their siblings, parents and grandparents which was great for our numbers as well.”
Eagles Chance—also operating under the Brian Affleck Golf Academy—is the third Canadian golf club to receive the CN Future Links Facility of the Year Award, which was introduced in 2013.
“On behalf of the PGA of Canada and its 3,700 members, I’d like to congratulate Brian Affleck and his staff on the CN Future Links Facility of the Year Award,” said PGA of Canada President Steve Wood. “It’s important for PGA of Canada members and Candidates for Membership like Brian to be recognized for all their hard work in growing the game of golf in Canada through the CN Future Links program.”
Last year alone, CN Future Links junior golf activities were conducted at 518 golf facilities with more than 7,000 juniors registered in the Learn to Play program. In addition, 160 golf facilities took part in the Junior Skills Challenge while more than 64,000 youngsters participated in more than 1,200 mobile golf clinics presented by Acura across the country. Since 2006, more than 1.2 million children have been introduced to golf through the CN Future Links program.
