Episode 12: The Park West Palm - Golf Course or Community Center?

Dave Andrews is the Director of The Path at The Park West Palm Beach. The Park West Palm project is a golf course designed for everyone to use, from beginners to professionals, with many of the amenities you’d find at a high-end private course.
Once The Park was completed, Dave was part of the team brought in to develop programs, including “The Path.” The Path is a community center that happens to be at a golf course. It’s become the perfect blend of Dave’s passion and purpose, giving kids hope and inspiration. 
Dave took the blank slate that he was given and spent months meeting with leaders in the local communities, from high school principals and teachers to nonprofits and coaches. He listened to the community to create a strategy to address their specific needs and vision for the future. 
The Path was launched on the premise that every child deserves the chance to succeed in life. Their goal was to take a kid who may not be on the right path and change their trajectory. Dave is building educational programs (STEM, ESOL classes, and more), hiring tutors and translators, and offering academic enrichment opportunities. 
They’re working to launch a SNAG (Starting New at Golf) program, led by a golf professional who goes into schools with all of the equipment necessary to take over and teach golf in PE classes. They want every child in West Palm Beach to be able to have a golf experience.
The Path seeks to change kids’ lives while introducing them to the game of golf. Join us in this conversation to learn more about this awe-inspiring community program—including how to inspire community involvement or launch your own program.
Topics covered:
Dave’s career journey from the YMCA to The Path (00:01:14 – 00:03:30)
Dave shares how his background with the YMCA and building community programs with nonprofits not only prepared him for his role at The Path but cultivated an excitement to impact children’s lives through golf.


The vision for The Park West Palm project (00:03:31 – 00:08:19)
The Park West Palm project was created to be a golf course with a community feel—completely different than anything you’ve ever seen—and accessible to everyone. 


The development of the The Path and its key programs (00:08:20 – 00:18:35)
Given a blank slate, Dave worked to create a community outreach program that just happened to be at a golf course. 
Dave immersed himself in the community to learn their specific needs and begin to create a strategy and a vision for the future.


Getting local schools to participate in the program (00:23:44 – 00:29:30) 
The Path consists of numerous educational programs targeted to kids who don’t have the financial means to obtain tutors, take art classes, or be in STEM programs.
They have everything they need to provide the kids an opportunity to learn the game of golf, led by PGA professionals.


What motivates and inspires Dave to make a difference (00:29:31 – 00:35:35)

David strives to help others in everything he does. He hopes his legacy is that he did everything in his power to inspire the next generation and give them hope.

Resources & People Mentioned
The Park West Palm
The Path

Connect with Dave Andrews
Connect with Dave on LinkedIn

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