Professional golfer Quinton Sherlock has grand plans to raise the level of golf in Bermuda and he intends to do such from the inside out.

During a presentation held at Ocean View Golf Course, Sherlock announced both his intentions to run for the presidency of the Bermuda Golf Association, as well as to attempt to set up a Golfzon Leadbetter Academy.

While at Cup Match, he was asked to reiterate his intentions with regard to both matters.

Sherlock told of how he believes that his taking charge at BGA would best allow him to carry out an agenda to positively influence, upgrade and give greater directional purpose to the governing body, that it be better positioned to grow the sport from the grass roots to senior levels.

Occupying the sports top administrative post would also aid in the teaching pro’s quest to secure capital funding from Government and corporate entities to have his vision of a Leadbetter branded institution stationed on island.

“To be able to be at the helm of the governing body of golf would allow me to be able to use my resources, knowledge and skills to further propel golf on the island,” said Sherlock, who is a certified Leadbetter instructor.

“Every year or every other year teams go away to the Island Games or Eisenhower Cup, events of this nature, and the whole idea of having a golf school or Leadbetter Academy on the Island will allow us to create a larger pool of locals that can potentially go overseas and compete at these events.

“So, to be at the helm, we could use those resources to train up our people and get them ready to also compete and perform on the international stage at a world-class level.”

However, the 44-year-old firmly believes more local golf would not be the sole beneficiary, but also Bermuda’s tourism appeal and attract more well heeled air visitors.

“We’re not talking about the hamburger and hot dog crowd former minister Jim Woolridge famously referred to when he was tourism minister,” added Sherlock. “The Golfzon David Leadbetter brand is a world-recognised brand.”

“Twenty of his students have won 20 major championships and the idea of being able to bring this level of instruction and this type of brand to the Island will not only allow us to be able to train our young people to the highest of levels.

“It would also enhance the ability to attract people from the eastern seaboard and even across Europe, who want to come to the Island, not only to play on our lovely golf courses, but to also get first class instruction.

“People who already attend Leadbetter Academies are the crème de la crème. They travel from far and wide and are not afraid of the cost in order to play golf and to get high level instruction and I think that, as an island.

“We have a lot to offer in that regard and it can really help to bolster our tourism product, along with everything else that we have on the island.”

Beyond the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, which attracts top-level PGA Tour players and their families, but imports a relatively small number of event specific visitors outside of such, Sherlock anticipates many coming through the combination of the Leadbetter and Bermuda brands.

“Right now we have the PGA tour event here and I think that we can build upon that with a high-level, internationally recognised golf academy to really help to promote the island, not only in the sport of golf, but also in the tourism market,” said Sherlock.

“Whereas the PGA tournament brings in the upper echelon of players, the David Leadbetter Academy can bring in not only the top players and college teams, but who would not want to come here and spend time at our academy?

“Also, those who are just now starting to play the game and who are willing to go to a top-brand academy would also be attracted to come to the island.

“So this should definitely allow us to dig deeper into that market, not just to have people come and watch a golf event, but to actually get themselves here to improve their games and take in our lovely and beautiful island all at the same time.”

Sherlock’s has already approached sports minister Owen Darrell, who during the presentation expressed support without commitment regarding the idea of what would be a high-profile academy. Excitement is also building at the grassroots level, even as there stands quite a road to travel in securing capital investment.

“At the grassroots level everyone is excited and can't wait for something like this to happen,” said Sherlock.

“I’ve definitely gotten some support from the Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport and I’m just now, literally, sitting at the door, waiting for it to be just kind of ajar a little bit, so that I can stick my foot in and move forward.

“I’m definitely appreciative of the support from the minister and, as I mentioned, I'm just waiting for some of the other powers that be to open the door for me, because I’m willing to put the work in and make it happen.”

Much of Sherlock’s work during the past decade has involved his taking the sport of golf to West Africa, specifically Ghana, where he set up a non-government organisation, in the form of a youth charity originally called the Ace It Foundation, but since rebranded as Children and Adults Reaching For Education Ghana.

The company offers General Education Development test and life skills development programmes in conjunction with the Care Learning Centre, founded by former PLP MP Neletha Butterfield.

There is also golf instruction, taught by Sherlock himself.

He compared himself to the key figure in the book The Alchemist in which the story is told of an Andalusian shepherd boy, who dreams of a treasure while in a ruined church.

He consults a gypsy fortune-teller about the meaning of the recurring dream and the woman interprets it as a prophecy, telling the boy that he will discover a treasure at the Egyptian pyramids and so he sets of on an arduous journey to North Africa, only to find that the treasure lay back at home.

Sherlock likewise has travelled far and wide, only to realise that his treasure likewise rests among the shores of his birth, but he has learnt and accomplished much through his travails.

“Everything involves a struggle,” he said. “With everything you want to achieve in life you have to go through things.

“I went through my ups and downs, but stayed focused on what my overall objective is and it’s gotten this far.

“Living in Ghana has given me the opportunity to grow, develop young people in golf, who in 2015 did not even know who Tiger Woods was, to get single-digit handicaps, which indicates that you’re better than average.

“It has also proven to myself that given time and effort I can help people to develop and now, with the Leadbetter brand behind me, combined with all of that knowledge and resources, I know that I can do more than what I've done in the past.”