Students study golf at Settlers Bay

Students at Burchell High School in Wasilla recently received lessons not typically found in high schools throughout Alaska -- lessons in golf.

Every Friday between Sept. 7 and Oct. 5, Burchell students received golf lessons at Settlers Bay Golf Course, by course professional Chris White and former professional Tommy Farris.

The lessons were part of a program at Burchell called Friday Discovery Class.

"The Friday Discovery Class is a program that offers students something different from strict academics," said Burchell teacher George Chapman. "It provides a well-rounded structure for the students."

A variety of activities are offered each quarter in the program, with students choosing the activity that interests them.

The program gives students a chance to meet together as a school for a period of time on Friday to take part in a different learning experience.

Photography, Spanish, and dance are just some of the activities that have been offered in the program.

Thirty students took part in the golf lessons at Settlers Bay. Most were beginners who had never stepped on a golf course.

"I wanted to set something up for the kids to learn golf," said Chapman. "Chris and Tommy took it all from there and did everything."

Throughout the five weeks of Friday lessons, the students learned golf etiquette, rules, scoring, chipping, putting and how to hit out of a sand trap.

On the last lesson, the students were divided into foursomes and played a tournament.

Settlers Bay provided all of the equipment necessary for the students to play.

"The golf class was the most fun I have had in any year that I came to school," said student Ken Malay. "When I signed up for the class I figured it would be a boring health/fitness class, not golfing at a real course."