Funding helps junior golfers take to the fairway

Alex Poirier stepped onto the green last summer at Le Portage Golf Club in Chéticamp and watched the next generation of golfers take their first swings.

Poirier, a board member with the North Inverness Recreation Centre Association (NIRCA), spent years building a junior golf program designed to bring more young people - especially those without equipment or experience — into the sport.

Two years ago, the North Inverness Community Health Board supported the program with a wellness fund grant of about $2,600.  The money helped pay for about six or seven junior sets of clubs in a range of sizes, along with chipping nets, putting circles and other training equipment. The new gear made it possible for children to try the sport for free. The cash infusion led to the program being more self-sufficient and inclusive.

“We had good numbers of kids, but I kept thinking there had to be other ways to bring younger kids to the golf course,” Poirier said. “The only thing we were missing were golf clubs of both sides and different lengths. That’s when I got involved.”

Community health board wellness funds support non-profit groups working to improve health in their communities. Among other things, grants go toward programs that promote food security, housing, transportation and social participation. The goal is to reduce risks of poor health outcomes in Nova Scotia communities.

There are signs the golf program is working, Porier said. Enrolment spiked to around 40 children in 2025. Early years saw between 20 and 30 young people taking part.

By the end of last summer, many participants had acquired their own sets of clubs.

“There are multiple families that have immigrated from other countries,” Poirier added. “This project gave them the opportunity to try golf. The goal was to give kids who might not have the funds to play the game the equipment they need to learn.”

Poirier runs the program entirely as a volunteer, alongside another instructor who once played professionally. Together, they were spending three hours every Tuesday morning working with three age‑based groups, ranging from five‑year‑olds to teenagers.

Poirier isn’t looking to develop the next Tiger Woods or Arnold Palmer. He wants to see children outdoors and active and learning more about a sport near and dear to him.

“I want to see the game grow and I want to see kids go outside and have fun,” he said. “Sometimes my own kids want to play video games and I tell them, ‘Just get out for an hour.’ Golf might look boring to some but it’s one of the best games around.”

When he was younger, Poirier remembers the impact a local golf instructor had on him – a feeling that shapes his modern-day coaching perspective.

“I still remember being brought out to the putting green every few days,” he said. “If I can give kids the same thing, that’s all I’m looking for.”

Looking ahead, Poirier hopes to expand the program’s horizons by taking young golfers to other courses in the region.

Poirier’s grateful for the support the local community health board gave the program and he’s using it as incentive to grow more interest in the game. 

Photo of young golfers take to the links in Cape Breton.