What an inspirational story. Kudos to everyone involved in this program, especially those fine young men.
2
Wonderful story about a great program. I was self taught at Mosholu taking the Jerome Avenue subway with clubs starting in 1966. Since, I've been blessed by the game which resulted in my best friendships and playing all over the world from National golf Links in the east to Cypress Point Club in the west. From The Old Course in Scotland to Royal Portrush in North Ireland. I wish the same blessings of golf to these lucky young men and women in this program.
1
This is indeed great for boys but what about the girls? They need this as well. Sports programs typically focus on boys while girls are left getting pregnant, dropping out of school or struggling to stay in. The plight of minority at-risk women needs to be addressed too.
4
This is a great program and should be applauded by all. Young men of color need direction, inspiration and embracement by mainstream society. What could be wrong with that ? and yet....here again the NYT ties this uplifting story to the "evils of gentrification" . this story has nothing to do with a changing neighborhood other then one of the 6 Eagle academies is located in Harlem. IF you want to tie in a controversy NYT, Eagle Academy is a charter school, which despite successfully educating mostly children of color are Constantly demonized by the politicians backed by the teachers union. What exactly do the progressives want? Just a blank check? no supermarkets?
Adriano Espaillat, your pandering is not helping your constituents. Whole Foods has brought hundreds of jobs and opportunity in this quality food deprived area. Soha (which no one uses) stands for south Harlem (not upper upper west side) practically all the new businesses use and embrace the name Harlem, as do the new residents.
Also, lets remember the recent history, with Harlem residents leaving in droves throughout the 70s and 80s along with widespread abandonment. When someone renovates and and moves into an boarded up brownstone or a condo on a vacant lot they are not displacing anyone. Finally, greater Harlem has many names including, Spanish (east) Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Sugar Hill, Mount Morris.
Adriano Espaillat, your pandering is not helping your constituents. Whole Foods has brought hundreds of jobs and opportunity in this quality food deprived area. Soha (which no one uses) stands for south Harlem (not upper upper west side) practically all the new businesses use and embrace the name Harlem, as do the new residents.
Also, lets remember the recent history, with Harlem residents leaving in droves throughout the 70s and 80s along with widespread abandonment. When someone renovates and and moves into an boarded up brownstone or a condo on a vacant lot they are not displacing anyone. Finally, greater Harlem has many names including, Spanish (east) Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Sugar Hill, Mount Morris.
7
"Mr. Rubin founded his club, the Bridge, in 2002. It self-consciously shirks tradition. The rolling grounds unfurl across the site of an old racetrack, relics of which, including flag stations and a spectator bridge advertising Chevron gasolines, still dot the property. The initiation fee is $975,000."
"Trading Places" anyone?
It just gets worse and worse.
"Trading Places" anyone?
It just gets worse and worse.
Boys... because girls need to wait until the boys are taken of first.
5
I applaud any program that uplifts kids out of their perceived norm.
There is a dichotomy going on though with the idea of golfing on courses that are all horrifically bad for the environment.
There is a dichotomy going on though with the idea of golfing on courses that are all horrifically bad for the environment.
3
I suggest that you research the plethora of Audubon certified golf clubs throughout the world. Course design and nature conservancy can indeed coexist.
2
Good for these kids - nice to see them taking advantage of (and enjoy) a unique opportunity - and good for the people who make it possible! This story was a nice break from the usual news of the day.
6
indoor golf is the future, and quite affordable for anyone who wants to experience the zen of golf.
2
Have to disagree. I'm an avid golfer, but for me, much of the pleasure comes from being outdoors away from hustle and bustle And even when I've had a bad round, I can remind myself that I have gotten some good exercise simply from walking the course.
Great that these kids are getting the opportunity to experience that, not to mention the joy of a ball well struck.
Great that these kids are getting the opportunity to experience that, not to mention the joy of a ball well struck.
6
as in HOME INDOOR GOLF with SIMULATOR -- all you need is a 4 foot x 8 foot area. you're probably wasting a lot of living room space, and this will be the cause of the next civil war....
2
First it's the Starbucks, then it's the Whole Foods, and before long you get the big box Target stores, the endless stretches of Duane Reades and Chase Banks, the yoga studios and advertisements for Zumba classes, the craft beer bars with faux vintage signage, the insufferable young men twirling goofy mustaches, the app developers, the blue hair dye, the arm sleeve tattoos, the paradoxical high-end thrift shops, the man buns, the Midwest transplants, the young families with strollers and joint incomes well into the six figures, the yearning desire for authenticity in a bland sterilized urban environment.
It wasn't enough to ruin much of northern Brooklyn, the tumor is spreading. Cutting the L train service for over a year will be the catalyst spurring many of Williamsburg's inhabitants to settle elsewhere. Gentrification is a horrifying, insatiable beast that knows no boundaries, cares little for those it affects, and benefits solely the obscenely overpaid upper class of New York City and the developers that provide them with shining glass condos and neighborhoods robbed of their history and personality. There will no doubt be feeble attempts such as this one to deflect attention from the wholesale expulsion of the working urban poor, but there is no such thing as a "progressive" gentrification.
Rest in peace, Harlem. It was nice knowing you.
It wasn't enough to ruin much of northern Brooklyn, the tumor is spreading. Cutting the L train service for over a year will be the catalyst spurring many of Williamsburg's inhabitants to settle elsewhere. Gentrification is a horrifying, insatiable beast that knows no boundaries, cares little for those it affects, and benefits solely the obscenely overpaid upper class of New York City and the developers that provide them with shining glass condos and neighborhoods robbed of their history and personality. There will no doubt be feeble attempts such as this one to deflect attention from the wholesale expulsion of the working urban poor, but there is no such thing as a "progressive" gentrification.
Rest in peace, Harlem. It was nice knowing you.
12
I'm not sure if it's progressive gentrification, but the program sounds awesome.
10
Golf in 2017 while seldom was there investments in parks and recreation in the 70's and 80`s and 90's to expand basketball courts, public swimming and other activities during the pre gentrification period of Harlem. Just more of the racist white entitlement strategy for how you plan to exclude communities of color.
1
Cheer up, Mike. A bunch of kids have something to do after school. It's all good.
2
What a great idea!
It's good to see something focus on adolescent boys. Our young men now receive only 40% of college degrees, and they need and deserve the same kind of help we gave girls when they were "behind in school."
If our young women received only 40% of college degrees, it would be the lead story on the pages of the NYT and on electronic media day after day, and rightly so. Boys deserve the same support.
It's good to see something focus on adolescent boys. Our young men now receive only 40% of college degrees, and they need and deserve the same kind of help we gave girls when they were "behind in school."
If our young women received only 40% of college degrees, it would be the lead story on the pages of the NYT and on electronic media day after day, and rightly so. Boys deserve the same support.
8
Women have a much wider IQ range than men, so there are more really smart women than really smart men and more really dumb men than really dumb women. However there are many more hyper intelligent men at the top of the IQ scale than there are hyper smart women.
2
This is great. Thank you very much for this article about the golf program and the school, I really think all are excellent. Any time someone so unselfishly gives such valuable time, effort and resources to support young people, who just blossom upon the receipt, it is wonderful and very commendable. Kudos to Mr Evans and Mr Rubin! I hope this first generation of boys in the program goes from strength to strength, mostly in their academic pursuits buttressed by the lessons they learn from their physical education. America has a cultural legacy/tradition of developing the scholar athlete, the well-rounded individual. This program rightfully continues this tradition. Wouldn't it be great if all of these young men go to college? Wouldn't it be great if any of these young men received undergraduate scholarships on the back of the skills they developed through this program. Wouldn't it be great if any of these young men received a Rhodes scholarship on the back of their education and this program? As long as they believe now that none of these goals are out of reach, they will be successful people.
12
This is great. Kudos to who came up and implemented this great program
13
As a life-long golfer, I've always insisted, if every kid could grow up on a golf course and abide by its rules and regulations, our world/country would be so much improved.
Thank you to the individuals involved in creating this opportunity for kids from Harlem. They should make an effort to contact Geoffrey Canada who started the Harlem Children's Zone, a charter school - life long provider for children from birth, through college and beyond.
Thank you to the individuals involved in creating this opportunity for kids from Harlem. They should make an effort to contact Geoffrey Canada who started the Harlem Children's Zone, a charter school - life long provider for children from birth, through college and beyond.
7
I whole-heartedly agree. Putting a golf club in a young person's hands is a life-altering experience. Only argument after that is how many mulligans to give per round :-)
2
I enjoyed reading about Mr. Evan and Rubin's move to teach not just golf, but the associated aspects of the game, e.g. the camps, the science, venue, etc.
One of the core lessons is learning that a large part of the economy comes from people wanting to have fun and wanting to improve and develop their fun activities, hobbies. In other words, why can't streetball have nicely adorned courts, nice facilities, electronic score keepers, video playback, broadcasted games, and artwork, just as golf has manicured lawns?
Another core lesson, is that success comes largely from access to social networks. Although most people outside their network may be judgmental,hostile,afraid of blacks,etc, there are sometimes a few sympathetic individuals from outside social networks who are willing to help. You just have to avoid those hazards/traps/dead-ends and guide yourself to your target in this game of life.
One of the core lessons is learning that a large part of the economy comes from people wanting to have fun and wanting to improve and develop their fun activities, hobbies. In other words, why can't streetball have nicely adorned courts, nice facilities, electronic score keepers, video playback, broadcasted games, and artwork, just as golf has manicured lawns?
Another core lesson, is that success comes largely from access to social networks. Although most people outside their network may be judgmental,hostile,afraid of blacks,etc, there are sometimes a few sympathetic individuals from outside social networks who are willing to help. You just have to avoid those hazards/traps/dead-ends and guide yourself to your target in this game of life.
5
Wow! That's amazing. Good work!
6
This is great. Golf is the ultimate mental game. It teaches patience, strategy, and constructively dealing with disappointment. It also teaches respect for other players, the game, and the course. Exposing these young men to the sport of golf is far better than exposing them to football or basketball.
9
While golf has its uniqueness, chess is the ultimate mental GAME.
It teaches patience, strategy, management, movement restricted to certain patterns, guarding areas where those patterns cross, and demands you consider the potential movement of many pieces, both yours and your opponents, at all times, along with the potential consequences from any one move.
The plus for golf comes from being outdoors, getting to hit something as hard as you can, and getting some exercise by walking ± 3 miles.
It teaches patience, strategy, management, movement restricted to certain patterns, guarding areas where those patterns cross, and demands you consider the potential movement of many pieces, both yours and your opponents, at all times, along with the potential consequences from any one move.
The plus for golf comes from being outdoors, getting to hit something as hard as you can, and getting some exercise by walking ± 3 miles.
5
I'd argue that tennis is the most mental sport. It requires fast reaction and evolving strategy (based upon what your opponent is doing). World class players can change their strategy from set to set and player to player.
1
Nice home course to practice on!
2