With it’s origins dating back 2008 at the former backyard training facility, of founder, PGA Professional Brendon Elliott, The Little Linksters Golf Academy has grown to encompass a handful of facilities in Central Florida. The first golf course location for the Little Linksters Golf Academy was the Winter Park Golf Course in Winter Park, FL. The academy remained at Winter Park from its origins in 2008 and on through to 2011 when Elliott left WPGC to teach full time. With Brendon’s move from Winter Park to teach full time, the Little Linksters Golf Academy found roots at Metrowest Golf Club in Orlando, FL. The Little Linksters Golf Academy at Metrowest was in play from 2011 through 2013. In 2013, the Academy once again made a move, this time, to Wekiva Golf Club in Longwood, FL.
The move to Wekiva Golf Club was due in part to Elliott’s new position at the Golf Academy of America to become part of the PGA Professional staff and eventually, the Director of Career Development. Programming at Wekiva, through the Little Linksters Golf Academy came online in September of 2013. While the Golf Academy of America was in existence, students from the GAA were given the opportunity to work with the Little Linksters Golf Academy staff and learn how to teach the very important age group of 3-8-year old’s.
Sadly, with the parent company that owned the GAA, as well as 70+ other career colleges, declaring bankruptcy, The Golf Academy of America closed its doors for good in December of 2018, after 40+ years in existence. Despite this, Elliott continued on with Little Linksters and its Academy at Wekiva Golf Club.
In January of 2020, The Little Linksters Golf Academy opened a new satellite location at the Tee it Up Driving Range in Oviedo, FL. In 2021, that satellite Academy location moved to Mount Dora Golf Club in Mount Dora, FL. Elliott saw a great opportunity at Mount Dora to expose more children, in an otherwise golf deficient area for kids, to the game. Sadly, as is often the case in the golf industry, during a management change at Mount Dora in January 2022, Little Linksters was no longer going to have the same opportunities that it was afforded in 2021 at this satellite location going forward.
In 2022, Little Linksters moved its Lake County, FL satellite Academy location to Redtail Golf Club in Sorrento, FL. In addition, Little Linksters also opened up the Linksters Lab, its indoor studio located inside All Stars Sportsplex in Altamonte Springs, FL. The Linksters Lab will be getting a make over and relaunching in October of 2022.
Through the various Academy location changes over the years, the original mission of Little Linksters, when it was founded in 2008, remains the same today. Little Linksters current academy locations serve as the hub for the offerings first created in 2008 as well as the ever expanding catalog of programming that have developed over the past 14 years. Wekiva Golf Club, and now, Redtail Golf Club, serve as Little Linksters “home-bases” for both Little Linksters, LLC and Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development (501c3).
the Little Linksters Association for Junior Golf Development (501c3) serves as the fundraising and outreach mechanism for offering opportunities to children that wouldn’t otherwise be able to explore or continue playing the game.
With locations in Central Florida at Wekiva Golf Club in Longwood, FL, Redtail Golf Club in Sorrento, FL, the Linksters Golf Lab indoor studio at Allstars SportPlex in Altamonte Springs, and after-school programs at locations throughout the greater Orlando area, Little Linksters has something for all kids, of all ages and ability levels! At Little Linksters, we welcome ALL youth, whether they are new to the game, or have been playing for many years, and encourage them to take part! Golf should have no barriers, and that is a belief we hold strong at Little Linksters…all backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to take part! For those that may have financial limitations, please contact us…we will find a way to help!
Lead by multiple local, State, National and International award-winning PGA Professional, Brendon Elliott, the staff of coaches at Little Linksters Golf Academies are some of the most trusted in the golf business.
** All our programs run through Little Linksters, LLC, which is our for-profit organization that our Academies are ran under. Money, that we raise through our 501c3, is earmarked for scholarship funding to help any and all kids, that may have financial barriers, take part in the game through our programming. We also aim to help intermediate to more advanced young golfers that need assistance by supplying them with new equipment, private and group instruction, tournament entry fees and more. Lastly, through our new Danny Mapes Memorial Lifetime Special Needs Scholarship program we want to help deserving youth with special needs, that love golf, take it to the next level.
Programs include:
- GROW (Ages 3-8), 8-week program sessions session
- GROW+ (Ages 9-12) 8-week program sessions
- GROW TEEN (Ages 13-17) 8-week program sessions
- GOALS (Special needs youth ages 3-18+) Meets once a month at each of our golf course Academy locations, plus one special needs school program that is 8 weeks per session.
- ELITE (Advanced youth ages 13-17) 8-week program sessions,
- PLAY (On course program powered by Operation 36) 8-week program sessions.
- LPGA*USGA GIRLS GOLF (Girls 5-15) Select dates throughout the year, 2 per month in general.
- PGA JUNIOR LEAGUE (In-house league, at two locations, for ages 5-17) Summer Program- May-September, two practices a week for two hours each, plus matches…Fall/Winter/Spring Season- October-March, one practice a week for two hours plus matches.
- PGA JUNIOR CAMPS (Ages 6-17) Contracted by PGA Junior Camps. Camps run from June through first part of August
- Annual Best Pee Wee Golf Swing in the World Video Contest (Under 3 -12)
- PRIVATE COACHING Led by PGA Professional Brendon Elliott, our private coaching programs are conducted in 6-, 9- and 12-month packages. Intended for intermediate to advanced youth ages 10-18. Limited availability. Prices vary by package. Go to BrendonElliott.com for more information