STUDENTS AT THE WHITE COLUMNS LEARNING CENTER EXCEL AT EVERY LEVEL
Players Are Leaving Their Mark from the Junior Level to the Nationwide TOUR

Alpharetta, GA - The Learning Center at White Columns Country Club is proving to be a formidable training ground for golf's next great players. With PGA Professional Cody Barden at the helm, players under his wing are garnering regional and national attention.

In junior golf, players of all age ranges have been making their mark with the skills learned from Barden at White Columns. Patrick Grahek, the 2008 American Junior Golf Association's Medicus Junior All-Star Champion, has credited Barden with giving him the confidence and skills necessary to stay calm under pressure and to keep his game steadily improving. Jake Lawson and Robbie Bentley won Player of the Year for the US Kids Atlanta Tour for their respective age brackets (10 year old & 9 year old), qualifying them for the World Championships. Sally Morgan (13 yrs) won two tournaments on the Georgia PGA Junior Tour and one event on the Atlanta Junior Golf Tour. Heather Kipniss (9 yrs) also won on the US Kids Atlanta Tour. Perhaps the most dominant performance of an Atlanta junior golfer belonged to student William Liu. In addition to winning the prestigious Future masters Tournament in Dothan, Alabama, he also claimed Player of the Year on the US Kids Atlanta Tour (11 year old division) and the All-American Junior Golf Tour (5th&6th Grade Boys Division) while qualifying for the US Kids World Championship.

On the professional front, Jeff Klauk, Nationwide TOUR player, has been working with Barden since 2005 to improve his game and help move him to fully exempt status on the PGA TOUR. After winning the Prince George's County Open in May and finishing second in both the Panama Championship and recent Utah Championship, Klauk has moved to number three on the money list and assured himself a fully exempt card for the PGA Tour in 2009. In just three seasons, Klauk's worldwide ranking has improved an impressive 750 spots.

"It's a pleasure to pass along my knowledge to these players" said Cody Barden, professional golf instructor at the White Columns Learning Center. "Each one of them has the potential to succeed and my job is to help them do just that. I am proud of each of their accomplishments."

Cody Barden is a frequent instructor on Golf Channel and Comcast Sports Southeast and has been distinguished as a Golf Digest Top Teacher and nominated for Golf Magazine's Top 100 Instructors list. He is in his seventh year of service as White Columns Country Club's PGA director of instruction.

White Columns Country Club is a private country club that features a spectacular 18-hole Tom Fazio-designed golf course and first-class amenities. It is one of the most awarded courses in Georgia and has taken its place among the top 100 private clubs in the country.

White Columns Country Club is located at 300 Clubhouse Drive, Alpharetta, GA 30004. For more information about White Columns, please visit www.whitecolumnscountryclub.com or call (770) 343-9025.

Heritage Golf Group began in 1999 with $100 Million in funding provided by the private equity firm, GTCR Golder Rauner, LLC. Since then the company has grown an impressive portfolio of private and resort golf clubs around the country. The Heritage Portfolio represents some on the most well-known and acclaimed properties spanning California, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina and South Carolina. The company distinguishes itself by its dedication to unrivaled golf and uncompromising service and is led by Bob Husband, President and CEO.