Over the past twenty-five years South Africa native Gary Gilchrist has successfully established himself as a world-renowned golf teacher. He has been recognized by Golf Digest as a Top 50 Teacher in America and most recently as a ‘Top 100 Teachers in America’ by Golf Magazine. His career began as the Director of Golf at the IMG Academy in Bradenton under the tutelage of David Leadbetter. Subsequently, Gary accepted the same position at the International Junior Golf Academy(IJGA) in Hilton Head, SC. Andrew Summers had successfully been a founding member of a number of investment management companies, gaining considerable experience and becoming a skilled at setting up organizational structures necessary to motivate and enable senior staff to excel in a “people” business. In 2008, Gary and Andrew founded the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy(GGGA) at the beautiful Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills, less than an hour north from Orlando, Florida. Quickly it became the most prominent, independent junior golf academy in the world.
In 2014, Gilchrist and Summers decided to operate two separate junior golf academies. In addition to founding the Bishops Gate Golf Academy(BGGA) near GGGA, Andrew purchased the International Junior Golf Academy in Hilton Head, SC. and invested a great deal of resources to create great training facilities at both locations. The Bishops Gate campus facility is at the previous location of the Bella Vista Golf & Yacht Club in Howey-in the-Hills and features a 9-hole course with double tees and greens which can be played as 18 holes, student housing, dining and training facilities expressly tailored to allow young golfers to develop their golf skills while still pursuing their academic studies to become good student athletes on their way to college.
Gilchrist and Summers are back at it and have once again joined forces partnering together to offer the best golf coaching and training in the world. The resulting single junior golf academy to be located on the Bishops Gate campus will be rebranded as IJGA Bishops Gate with Gary as Director of Golf. Another former David Leadbetter protege’, British PGA Master Professional Jonathan Yarwood will continue as Director of Golf at IJGA, Hilton Head Island. Jonathan is one of the Top 100 teachers in South Carolina as well as being chosen in Golf Magazine’s ‘Top 100 Teachers in America.’ No other pair of junior academies offers the this breadth of teaching acumen and experience in its leadership.
Both Andrew and Gary envision expanding their model to other countries. BGGA has already developed an affiliate in Mexico while Gilchrist has one in China. Summers anticipates closing on the acquisition of an affiliate in India. Combining programs here in the USA will allow them to grow the affiliates in these and other countries, creating the predominant junior golf development program in the world. Students will have the opportunity to benefit from the best golf coaching and outstanding golf facilities while remaining focused on their academic studies. This an exciting time to be teaching the next generation of golf superstars who are passionate and wanting to succeed at the highest level. More and more young people from all over the world are interested in playing the sport that can last a lifetime.
