Welcome @JamesHongGolf as a speaker at the 2024 TPI Summit! James Hong is the Director of Instruction at Harbor Links Golf Course in Port Washington, New York. With over 20 years of teaching experience, James is recognized as a leader in junior development, overseeing a program that has over 550 juniors participating annually at every level of ability, from beginner to elite player. His presentation, “We Are The New Gym Class,” will discuss how the modern junior golf program can be at the forefront of fundamental athletic development in youth sports. Starting at the age of 4 years old, the focus of every program he leads is on the “building athletes first, golfers second” approach, where physical fitness is a key component. By incorporating dynamic warm-ups, exercise, and equipment from other sports such as tennis racquets, soccer balls and baseball bats, James uses his golf schools as a vehicle to develop foundational athletic skills and encourage active lifestyles in junior golfers. The pride of the program is not that they have the most AJGA tournament wins or college scholarship athletes, but that they are able to help kids become athletes that achieve their goals while developing habits that facilitate a commitment to health and wellness. mytpi.com/summit/