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A Publication of WTVP

It’s a game that tests your strength and mentality. It requires a great deal of precision. And it’s something you can enjoy throughout your lifetime.

Among this region’s great assets is the Peoria Park District’s Golf Division. It can offer assistance to any golfer, whether a newbie playing for the first time, someone looking to get back into the game, or a veteran who has played their entire lifetime. And it boasts four PGA-trained staff—with more than 60 years of combined experience—and five golf courses throughout the community.

Located on Radnor Road in north Peoria, the Golf Learning Center & Academy is one of the division’s unique features. It’s home to a driving range, nine-hole pitch and putt course, heated hitting stations for the winter, and indoor and outdoor putting greens. With the advantage of being open year-round, the state-of-the-art facility hosts a variety of events and activities throughout the year, while a number of golf leagues use its side room for breakfasts and luncheons. It also hosts golf demo days, featuring company representatives fitting customers for clubs, as well as the Hook A Kid on Golf program.

The Golf Learning Center & Academy is also the setting for company and corporate outings, a fairly new concept for the facility. A wide range of businesses have used such outings for team-building purposes, or simply to introduce their employees to the game of golf. Spending time with peers outside of the office—or outside of their comfort zones—can really boost morale among colleagues. Sometimes a change of scenery can make all the difference!

Quite a few companies participate in community golf outings each year, and many of them send the same staff over and over. Introducing new staff members to the game through a company retreat or lesson can create a larger pool of participants. (A few lessons can go a long way, as most of these outings are scrambles or “best ball,” and not every shot has to be perfect!) Staff can introduce themselves to people they would not have otherwise met and create relationships with them, which in turn creates a larger web for networking.

Golf may be an individual sport, but it can also benefit your whole team. Participating in an organized company outing, being part of a company league, or playing a few holes with peers after work can help you build a rapport and network with others in ways you may not have imagined.

See you at the Learning Center, on the green, or perhaps at the 19th hole! a&s

The Golf Learning Center & Academy is located at 7815 North Radnor Road in Peoria. It’s open daily, 7am to 9pm. For more information, visit ppdgolf.org/learningcenter or call (309) 690-7162.

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