Myrtle Beach Area Information
News
Hugh Royer Champions Golf Academy Teams Up with Lowcountry Prep School
07/08/2009
The Hugh Royer Champions Golf Academy announced that it will partner with Lowcountry Prep School, in Pawleys Island, S.C., this fall to create a full-time high school golf program to prepare junior golfers for college admission and scholarship opportunities. The first class of Hugh Royer Champions Golf Academy (HRCGA) students will arrive for enrollment at Lowcountry Prep School on August 17, 2009.
Located at Long Bay Club and Willbrook Plantation, HRCGA determined that there was a need for a top-notch golf school for talented high school students, from not only the Grand Strand, but from around the world. Former PGA Tour player, Hugh Royer, III developed the golfing component based on his experience as a touring professional, teaching professional, and instructor at other golf academies. Central to the plan for the Academy was to associate the golf academy with an established independent school known for its reputation of academic excellence.
In 2009, HRCGA approached Lowcountry Prep School Board of Trustees in Pawleys Island to be its academic partner. Accredited by the Southern Association of Schools (SACS) and the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA), Lowcountry Prep School provides a rigorous college prep academic curriculum including honors and Advanced Placement classes. Over the past decade, 100% of Lowcountry graduates attended college and the SAT scores of Lowcountry Prep students are the highest in Georgetown and Horry Counties.
“We look forward to working with Dr. Mitchell and Lowcountry Prep School to prepare our students for college,” said Royer. “Together, we can provide the best in golf and the best in academics for junior golfers. There are good golf academies throughout the country; there are good prep schools throughout the country. We wanted to combine the two in order to prepare players for the next level and beyond.”
“The partnership between Lowcountry Prep School and the Hugh Royer Champions Golf Academy provides the best of both worlds – a challenging high school education enhanced by outstanding golf training,” said Dr. Peter Mitchell, superintendent of Lowcountry Day School. “By insisting on excellence in the classroom and on the golf course, our students will gain admission into top universities and be able to secure college scholarships.”
About Lowcountry Prep School
Founded in 1995, Lowcountry Prep enrolls 200 students in K3-12. An average class size of 13 students, coupled with an upper school faculty with over 40% having a doctoral degree, creates an ideal learning environment. Students complete five high school courses in science and math, as well as four courses in English, History/Government, and Foreign Language, and required classes in music and art.
As one of two schools in South Carolina endorsed by Project Learning Tree and the 2009 grand prize winner in the state-wide public and private school Champions of the Environment contest, Lowcountry Prep capitalizes on its natural resources to provide exemplary education in environmental science. The Lowcountry Prep Leadership Institute develops leadership skills for all students. The school’s commitment to academic excellence is complemented by instilling an ethic of service and moral development that equips graduates for success in college and for a life of meaning and purpose.
About The Hugh Royer Champions Golf Academy
Led by former PGA TOUR player Hugh Royer, III, the Hugh Royer Champions Golf Academy is one of the most distinctive golf learning centers in the country as it features comprehensive training programs for players of all ages and skill levels. Located at the Long Bay Club, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course in North Myrtle Beach, S.C., the Hugh Royer CGA opened in March 2007, and debuted its new Long Bay learning center on April 21, 2008. The learning center features an 8,000 square-foot short game area with chipping, putting and bunker practice sites, a 3,500 square-foot building for the offices and golf-specific fitness room, three private teaching bays, state-of the-art video equipment, extensive club fitting technology and a student lounge. Sports psychologist Stephen A. Russo, Ph.D. assists players in handling the mental pressures of the game, and accommodations are included with many of the programs.
Royer turned professional in 1988, and played three years on the PGA Tour, captured four wins on the Nationwide Tour and one victory on the South African Tour. After his retirement in 2000, Royer opened the Columbus Golf Academy in Columbus, Ga., where he served as the Director of Instruction. Royer taught more than three years at the International Junior Golf Academy on Hilton Head Island, S.C. and has worked with PGA, LPGA, Nationwide, and Hooters Tour players, in addition to teaching junior, collegiate and amateur players.
