Brankel opens golf school in Bolivia, N.C.

ALAN BLONDIN

ON GOLF

After 16 years in the golf business, Cheryl Brankel has a golf school with her name attached to it.

The Cheryl Brankel Golf Academy at Carolina National has opened in Bolivia, N.C.

Brankel has spent the past four years as the director of instruction at the Glens Golf Academy at Possum Trot, and previously worked at Classic Swing Golf School, the Surf Golf & Beach Club and Black Bear Golf Club. The Ohio native first entered the golf business in the pro shop at Wild Dunes in Isle of Palms.

"It's a huge opportunity I couldn't turn down: to do your own thing," Brankel said. "I'm the sole proprietor, and being able to use and be affiliated with Carolina National is nice. It's an opportunity to start my own and go from there."

The school offers one-, two- and three-day golf schools, men's, women's and beginner clinics, and junior camps and clinics, and features the V-1 computerized golf swing analysis program.

Brankel plans to hire another instructor or two in the next couple years. She recently became one of just 80 PGA of America professionals to receive a Certification in Instruction through a PGA specialization program and is about to begin working toward attaining Master Professional status.

Amateur club begins season

The Coastal Carolina Amateur Golf Club, which is open to any amateur golfer, tees off its second second season on Feb. 10 at Panther's Run Golf Links.

The schedule has been expanded from 10 to 12 events this year, with one-day tournaments on Saturdays until Oct. 6. All events will be individual stroke play with the exception of one two-person team event.

Coastal Carolina Custom Club Fitting and Repair and Thomas Hogan Travel, which will sponsor a hole-in-one contest each tournament, have been added as tour sponsors this year.

Tour director Patrick Jones had 100 members by the end of last year, including 58 founding members who received lifetime membership and are exempt from annual dues. He expects the tour to grow to 150 members or more by the end of the year, with between 30 and 40 players participating per event. A paid entry into the PGA Tour Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship is among prizes available.