UUMISM is one of the very few institutions that provide a Specialized Golf Program (SGP) for young students who aspire to be future professional golfers, top amateurs or golf coaches. Lately in Malaysia, golf teachers / coaches are in demand as golf has become a desired sport amongst young students and juniors. These phenomena have led to the setting up of golf academies at universities, colleges and international schools to cater for the growing demand for golf lessons and training. At UUMISM, SGP students attend academic classes in the morning and golf practice sessions in the afternoon. The 2-hour Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) classes for other academic students are conducted twice a week by the coach. They learn the fundamentals of golf like stance, posture, swing and putting before they try their skills on the course.

Whilst golf is an individual sport, it builds character. There are many benefits to taking up golf at a young age, not only is it a healthy sport that provides proper fitness but its ability to improve the quality of life growing up with its core values. It improves the students’ social skills by building relations with other students whilst playing the game or practicing at the driving range or in tournaments. Golf offers a personal challenge to the students where there is constant mental learning, consistency, hard work plus the fun and enjoyment the game offers.

The golf game itself teaches students to pursue their goals both on the golf course and in the classrooms where goals are defined and students take steps to achieve them. It reinforces positive self-identity, believing in one’s abilities plus practicing the true meaning of integrity, discipline, work ethics and perseverance. Self-control is the quality needed especially when dealing with pressure and disappointments during the game. It inculcates the importance of honesty, etiquette, fairness and good manners, which are also applicable in their classrooms. Golf demands players to abide by the rules and be truthful and call penalties on themselves if they have gone against the rules of golf.

Golf demands a strict sense of responsibility. Players are responsible for their actions while playing golf like keeping individual score, repairing divots and ball marks on the greens, rake bunkers and managing an acceptable pace of play. There is also the need for self-respect plus extending courtesy to your playing partners and opponents. All these qualities are strictly demanded in the classrooms.   

These core values in golf, when diligently applied to their studies, help them achieve academic success. UUMISM golf students’ ability to balance the needs of playing good golf and perform well academically is commendable. They grow through the challenges on the golf course and the classrooms.