Sisters open golf park in Pendleton

Local News

Related Photos

Kristen Dolan, along with her sister Gretchen Scheuermann, owners of Pinnacle Sports Academy, have opened a golf and basketball training center. Dolan displays the driving range located at 6730 S. Transit Rd. Joe Eberle/US&J
Kristen Dolan, along with her sister Gretchen Scheuermann, owners of Pinnacle Sports Academy, have opened a golf and basketball training center. Dolan displays the driving range located at 6730 S. Transit Rd. 10-year-old Greg Dolan shows his form at the driving range. Joe Eberle/US&J
Kristen Dolan, along with her sister Gretchen Scheuermann, owners of Pinnacle Sports Academy, have opened a golf and basketball training center. The outdoor basketball court is used for the training sesssions. Joe Eberle/US&J

July 25, 2010

By Joe Olenick Lockport Union-Sun & Journal The Lockport Union-Sun %26 Journal Sun Jul 25, 2010, 11:45 PM EDT

PENDLETON — Teaching is hereditary for sisters Kristen Dolan and Gretchen Scheuermann.

Both their grandfather Leslie Mercer and mother Anne Marie Scheuermann taught people how to play golf. Mercer had been a golf pro, having won the Vermont State Amateur Golf Tournament in 1921 as a 15-year-old. Anne Marie Scheuermann was an LPGA teaching professional.

So it’s little wonder that the teaching gene has kept going. Dolan coached basketball at Sweet Home High School and Gretchen Scheuermann is an LPGA teaching professional. The two are also the owners of Pinnacle Sports Academy, a traveling athletic instruction and training program.

Now Dolan and Gretchen Scheuermann are bringing their teaching to Transit Road in Pendleton. The sisters have opened the Highlands Golf Park, a driving range and pro shop formally known as Eagle Crest Driving Range. There is also an outdoor basketball court.

The park features 15 grass tee stations, 40 mat tee stations, a practice putting green and a chipping and pitching area.

Dolan said the Highlands opened May 1 and has gotten off to a great start.

“It’s been very positive,” she said. “The people have been so supportive here. We already have some regulars and we are so appreciative.”

At the Highlands, golf and basketball training programs are available for kids. They focus on developing skills and providing the kids with practices or workouts. Dolan runs the basketball half while Scheuermann heads the golf portion.

Golf lessons are available with the Highlands’ staff of professionals, which doesn’t include the golf park’s Ultimate Golf Camp. At the camp, with an 8 to 1 student-teacher ratio, kids learn golf skills such as putting, chipping, pitching, how and when to use the proper club. There is also an instructional basketball clinic that runs for four Saturdays in August for kids ages 3 through 12. At the camp, kids learn the basics such as dribbling, passing, shooting and defense.

Dolan said they also plan to put together some travel basketball teams. There is a summer league for those in seventh and eighth grades going on through Aug. 18.

In 1997, Anne Marie and Peter Scheuermann opened the Highlands Golf Park in Ruckersville, Va. The family had moved from Vermont the year before, when Gretchen Scheuermann went to Northwestern University in Illinois. Sometime after, Dolan was awarded a scholarship to play basketball at Canisius College in Buffalo.

After school, Dolan started teaching physical education and coaching basketball at Sweet Home. After the sisters had begun Pinnacle, they thought about having a physical location. That’s when they saw Eagle Crest for sale.

“We saw the potential here,” Dolan said.

Long-term goals include expanding the basketball court into a full court, adding miniature golf and possibly lights. But for now, Dolan and Scheuermann will focus on the fundamentals, just like they teach their young athletes.

Contact reporter Joe Olenick at 439-9222, ext. 6241.

Text Only

Local News

Paying Respect
May 28, 2012 4 Photos
Sense of resignation escorts AES tax pact
May 24, 2012
Town considering WNYLC's request
May 23, 2012
Palace, Hartland get Greenway funding
The Historic Palace Theatre and the Town of Hartland both were cleared Tuesday to receive Niagara River Greenway funding for improvement projects.

The eight-member Host Communities Standing Committee voted unanimously to approve funding requests of $151,000 for the Palace and $244,000 for Hartland, which is planning a multi-phase town park enhancement project.

May 22, 2012
Erie Canal photo contest underway
The seventh annual Erie Canalway photo contest is under way.

Entries are being accepted now through Sept. 7. Winning photos will be published in the 2013 Erie Canalway calendar.

May 22, 2012
Jobless totals drop slightly
Unemployment in the Lockport area decreased slightly last month, but it wasn't because more people are going back to work.

The New York State Department of Labor reported Tuesday about 1,000 city residents were without a job in April, the fifth straight month with over 1,000 unemployed. That was down from the 1,100 it reported in March, however, the number of employed stayed the same at about 9,700 people.

May 22, 2012 4 Stories
Fishing for 'Ultimate' perks
Olcott teaming up with Ontario town in running for Canadian equivalent.

May 22, 2012 2 Photos
Sprinkler work coming
Piping in high school fire sprinkler system will be addressed in July.

May 22, 2012
Willow Street victim identified
The victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Willow Street on Saturday was identified by Lockport Police as Richard Boye, 46.

May 22, 2012
Cutting the travel time
For the most part, there is a lot of planning that goes into traveling. Some like to handle the details on their own, making arrangements on the phone or using travel websites to book hotels, planes, vehicles and so on.

But lately, working with a travel agent is becoming more popular.

May 21, 2012 1 Photo
More Local News Headlines

Local News

Search Results

Related Photos

Sisters open golf park in Pendleton

Site Map

Contact Us