The O’Neal School Partners with Elite Golf to Enhance Golf Programming and Coaching
The O’Neal School is proud to announce a new partnership with Elite Golf to enhance its golf programming and coaching. This collaboration will provide O’Neal students with unparalleled access to top-tier golf instruction, resources, and development opportunities.
Through this partnership, Elite Golf will provide coaching and instruction for the O’Neal varsity golf teams and consult with the middle school golf program. Additionally, O’Neal students will have access to discounted instruction rates, ensuring they receive high-quality coaching at an affordable price.
Elite Golf will also offer specialized seminars focusing on college recruitment, course management, and tournament preparation. Students will have the opportunity to participate in clinics and multi-day camps designed to refine their skills and enhance their competitive edge.
“We're thrilled to announce a new partnership between Elite Golf School and The O’Neal School! This exciting collaboration positions The O’Neal School at the forefront of golf development, ensuring success for both the team and individual student-athletes,” said O’Neal Athletic Director Lance Stucky.
This partnership aligns with The O’Neal School’s commitment to excellence in athletics, providing student-athletes with the tools and coaching needed to succeed both on and off the course.
Head of School Dale McInnis comments, “O’Neal is committed to fielding winning golf teams and supporting our student-athletes, and Elite Golf’s expertise and track record make them the perfect partner to elevate our program.”
Elite Golf’s coach and mentor, Doug Wherry will serve as head coach this spring for the boys' team and in the fall of 2025 for the girls’ season. With over 35 years of experience as both a competitor and coach, Doug has dedicated his career to preserving and sharing golf’s rich traditions, ethics, and joy. Mentored by legends such as Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Jake Warde, Warren Smith, Bill Eschenbrenner, Jim Loehr, and Bob Proctor, he brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to the game.
Coach Wherry’s accomplishments include: Collegiate All-American (1987), 1988 U.S. Open participant at The Country Club, head instructor, Arnold Palmer Golf Academy (1992-1998), Top-10 Golf Instructor in Colorado (Golf Digest), coach & mentor to USGA qualifiers, AJGA winners, state champions, and collegiate athletes.
On this new partnership, Coach Wherry remarks, “Elite Golf Schools cultivates champions on and off the golf course through a culture that inspires our students to succeed. We use golf as a pathway to build self-confidence, resilience, and personal growth. We are so excited to partner with The O’Neal School whose mission statement and culture endeavor to inspire such positive qualities in our youth. I believe it is a fantastic match and I see a great future for O’Neal and Elite Golf growing the next generation of champions on and off the course.”
Elite Golf Schools of North Carolina provides top-tier golf instruction and coaching for players of all ages and skill levels. Their comprehensive curriculum equips golfers with the skills and strategies needed for continuous improvement, whether they are just starting out or honing their competitive edge. The Aberdeen facility, located at the scenic Legacy Golf Links, is their newest addition, expanding their reach to golfers along the eastern seaboard. Beyond North Carolina, Elite Golf Schools also operates in Arizona and Colorado, offering diverse programs such as junior academies, adult coaching, and virtual training.
O’Neal has a proud tradition of fostering talent in the sport of golf, with many alumni excelling as players and pursuing careers within the golf industry. Among its founding families were LPGA Hall of Fame member Peggy Kirk Bell and her husband Bullet, whose legacy of golf excellence continues to inspire O’Neal students.
Most recently, grandson to Peggy Kirk Bell and O’Neal alum Michael McGowan ’09 qualified for the 2024 U.S. Open, adding to the School’s distinguished golf history. Additionally, O’Neal’s 2023 valedictorian, Alex Lapple, is a member of the University of Notre Dame’s women’s golf program having earned a golf scholarship, while 2023 salutatorian Maya Beasley competes for the University of Richmond’s women’s golf team, also earning a golf scholarship.
O’Neal remains committed to developing student-athletes who excel both on the course and in the classroom, carrying forward a legacy of success in golf.
The O'Neal School
The O'Neal School admits students of any race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by law to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by law in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
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