At the Jason Floyd Golf Academy we have golf programmes to suit each individual.
From full-time programmes that combine golf and education, part-time programmes where students can join for one or more semesters, GAP Year & Transition Year students who want to experience golfing in spain and junior golf & education programmes where students have the opportunity to develop their skills in preparation for our Triple A Elite golf programme and University Scholarships.
Over the next year we’ll be talking with our students to give an insight into their experience and the decisions that they made in choosing the Jason Floyd Golf Academy and how making that decision aligned with their own personal goals and ambitions, be that achieving a prestigious U.S. University Golf Scholarship, combining education with golf to offer a unique route to attending University in Europe, taking a year out from Education to develop Golf skills and participate in WAGR ranked golf series’, developing golfing & personal skills to become stronger in both mind & body and having the opportunity to meet new friends who share the same passion.
This week let’s talk with Lenny Koch who is a student on our Triple A Elite Golf Programme.
Hi Lenny. Thanks for joining us for our Student Profiles. Would you first like to tell us a bit about you and why you decided to join the Jason Floyd Golf Academy?
Hello, my name is Lenny Koch and I’m a student in the Triple A Elite Golf Programme.
Although I’m a dedicated athlete, I know how important my academics are. That’s why I chose to do a combined golf and education program with Sotogrande International School and the Jason Floyd Golf Academy in Sotogrande.
Tell us about school. What are you studying at the moment and what exams are you preparing for?
We are currently preparing for our A-level exams, which will allow us to achieve our academic grades, which will then enable us to go to college in America. Over the course of an academic school year, we write exams in three different subjects: Economics, Business, and Math. During the year we have 2 different exam dates – January & May.
How have you found the subjects you’ve been studying? Could you tell us more about them?
At SIS we do the international A-level course. We study Economics, Business, Math and English and we also get external help with SAT preparation as this is an important exam to take before applying to U.S. Universities. The exams can be difficult at certain points in the academic year but preparing and having a good study schedule helps a lot.
When did you first start at the Jason Floyd Golf Academy?
I first came to the Jason Floyd Golf Academy in 2018. At that time, I only came once or twice a year to practice with the JFGA instructor team. From then on, I’ve always enjoyed coming here and meeting great people and always had the desire to become a better athlete.
I first started full time on the Junior Triple A programme. At Sotogrande International school I started in year M4 and then moved on to M5. During this I would study in the morning and come to study golf in the afternoon. Now I am about to finish my first A1 year and first year on the Triple A Elite programme. On the Elite programme I now study golf in the morning and attend school in the afternoons.
What was it about the Jason Floyd Golf Academy that made you want to join the programme?
I’m the type of player who likes the technical side of the golf swing, so with Jason and Matthew’s vast experience, I felt I was in a very comfortable environment.
What I also really appreciate is the hard work from each of the team members here at the academy. They are always thinking about the student and how they can make you better and achieve your long-term goals.
How did you find the move to Spain and moving into the Sotogrande International School boarding?
The decision to come here was pretty easy because I knew what I wanted to achieve.
For me, the school year starts at the boarding school and ends at the boarding school, but I had the opportunity to stay with my parents during the winter because they could come here to Sotogrande.
Overall, the boarding school is a great experience because you get to know a lot of people and you also learn to be more independent because you have to take care of things like laundry and keep your room tidy.
What’s a typical day like for you as a student?
Our day starts at 9:00am at the Jason Floyd Golf Academy where we start our golf training. The academy is based at The San Roque Golf Club.
During the golf training we always cover different topics and also have scheduled training sessions with our strength and conditioning coach Oli, where we focus on becoming a better athlete. Since our training day ends at 1:00pm, we are taken by bus to SIS where we have classes starting at 2:00pm. School days end at different times during the week, usually around 5:30pm to 7:00pm depending on the classes we have.
What have been some of the highlights of your time so far at the Jason Floyd Golf Academy?
One of my highlights was in 2018 when I had the opportunity to play nine holes with a tour player who was coached by Jason at the time. That round helped me gain more knowledge about my golf game and also about what the mindset of a tour player should be.
What have been some challenges you’ve had and how did you overcome them?
There are always challenges and you have to constantly find solutions to make the best of them. That’s why I think it’s a great way to give us students difficult tasks to think about and solve as best we can. Then we can apply them. We can then use the skills we learned there in real-life situations. For example a challenge could be that the coaches give us a task where we have to chip the ball to a hole and achieve a certain footage of the hole and when you then reach the highest level then you are under a lot of pressure. This training really helps you learn how to deal with high pressure situations you might find yourself in in the future.
How has the Jason Floyd Golf Academy Instructor team helped you with your golf? What sort of improvements have you seen in your golf skills?
When I first came to the JFGA my golf swing and also my physical skills were not at a high level, but with the help of the team I was able to improve; but as you know you can never stop. You always have to adapt to different circumstances and you have to stay patient and trust in the process. Overall, the team is very focused on making everyone better. No matter what skill level you are at, the team really help you develop the drive to achieve your goals.
How do you like to spend your free time?
Well, there is not much free time for me because at the moment I have been studying for my exams. I usually train on the weekend, but sometimes it’s good to take a day off to reset the mind. When I take a day off, I try to be outside or follow other sports, because I’m very interested in different sports.
What is it like being part of the Triple A Elite Golf Programme?
So far, it’s been a great time here and I’ve made a lot of new friends over the last few years. It’s just crazy how many different people you get to know over the course of a year. I think that’s also a special part of joining this programme.
What advice would you give to any students who are joining in September or are thinking about coming to the JFGA academy?
The best advice I can give you is to work hard, be strict with yourself and always make the best of every situation, set daily goals and achieve them. If you do that, I think you can have a lot of success here.
How have you found the Triple A Elite Golfing Programme?
I think if you want to get to the highest level in golf, sometimes you have to make decisions like leaving home & family, but by doing so you can grow as a person and also get better as a player. I really think this is a great program if you want to combine sports with your academic skills.
Next year is going to be your final year on the Triple A Elite Golf Programme. What are you hoping for in your time here?
In my last year here, I just want to focus on getting the best grades possible in school and then focus on continuing to improve my golf during my last year with the team before heading to America. But, I can already say that I will be back in the future to do my regular training sessions at the Jason Floyd Golf Academy.
What are your ambitions for the future?
After my time here at the Jason Floyd Golf Academy, my dream is to play college golf in America. The JFGA works with a scholarship agency called ASM that helps us find the best college depending on our personal ambitions. I plan to study sports management or business management in America.
What would be your 3 top tips for new student’s joining us in September?
1. Have a good attitude and always be focused during the sessions.
2. Be open minded towards learning new skills.
3. Accept the fact that you can fail when you learn something new but always try and make the best out of it.
Thank you for talking to us Lenny and good luck with your exams and tournament dates over the summer!
Thank you! I look forward to meeting the new students in September and I’m sure I will see you at the Jason Floyd Golf Academy!
For more information about the Jason Floyd Golf Academy, Golf Programmes – contact us on info@jasonfloydgolfacademy.com or call us on +34 607 042 134.
