My Journey with the IRGF
“My name is Hope Taylor, and it is in my best regard and honor to be able to share my golf story with you and how prominent the Indian River Golf Foundation has been throughout my journey thus far.
I am going to start from the very beginning of this story. I participated in martial arts for about a decade, I spent hours practicing and was considered to be one of the best competitors. When the time of entering black belt training came along, I had to wait about six months for the cycle to start, I was quite disheartened hearing about the wait. During this time my dad had mentioned that I should try golf, at the time I was about 12 years old and told him that golf was an “old man sport” and me playing was not going to happen. For years, my dad has always gone out and swung an iron club out in the backyard of our house. Coincidentally, I was outside when my dad comes along with his seven-iron one day, he requested that I swing his club. I figured that doing so could not hurt anything and would satisfy my dad, and so I mimicked the motions I had seen my dad execute many times before, needless to say, the rest is history. My dad and I began to go to the driving range at Sandridge golf course every Friday after school, and I was really starting to get used to the game. The older folks I came across had a bunch of questions about my game that I had no idea how to answer. It was during one of these after school practices that we heard of the Indian River Golf Foundation and received the email and phone number of Mr. Van-Dyke. We soon got in touch and within a week had planned to meet Mr.Van Dyke at John’s Island Golf course. Throughout the years the Indian River Golf Foundation has provided me with wonderful opportunities, I have met so many people and befriended many others through our common game. I have been able to learn and grow not only as a golfer, but also a person. The assistance and instruction of many inspiring golf professionals, including Mr.Van Dyke himself, have been bestowed to myself and many other youth golfers. The comradery among the youth golfers and leaders is not only welcoming, but also encouraging. The IRGF has allowed for youth such as myself to play on prestigious courses, with the absolute support of the course members. I would not be nearly as successful as I am today without the Indian River Golf Foundation. I play for the Sebastian River High School Sharks Golf Team and am proud to execute the game I have grown so fond of through the Indian River Golf Foundation. I truly believe the IRGF has the most inordinate opportunities for upcoming youth golfers. I have the upmost respect for the IRGF and its members, without their generosity and kindness so many children would never have had the amazing opportunities they have experienced. Thank you to all who have journeyed with me this far, and those who will continue to provide for the upcoming youth golfers.”
By Hope Taylor (2022)