Golf Academy presents any less a sporting challenge than any of the Island's greens. Located on Industrial Park Road in Southampton, the facility boasts a first-rate driving range and a demanding mini-golf circuit, offering enjoyment to both expert and amateur golfers. According to Richard Farge, one of the Academy's owners: "The driving range is a great place to polish up driving skills, warm up before playing your favourite 18 holes, or correct and perfect your stance and swing. "And the adventure mini-golf is a place where anybody can play. It's great for families. On a small island, it's one of the few things that a mother and father can do with their teenager and get on well.

It's also great for tourism. We're trying to promote Bermuda as a family destination and nothing could be more family than this.'' Limited access to golf clubs for golf enthusiasts coupled with the lack of night time activities available in Bermuda Mr. Farge to open the Bermuda Golf Academy Driving Range and Adventure Mini-Golf centre. One of the largest growing sports in the western world, he felt there was a real need for additional golfing facilities in Bermuda. "People have a hard time getting memberships in any of the golf clubs on the Island today,'' he said. "Both public and private clubs are oversubscribed, they won't accept additional members and they close very early. As well, the standard at the existing driving ranges was of poor quality.'' Mr. Farge, who has been playing golf for the last 30 years, taught the sport while living in Europe six years ago. He decided he could use his talent while developing a project that would appeal to the community-at-large.

The 320-yard driving range was the immediate result with the mini-golf course following this year. Floodlit until 10.30 p.m., it allows golfers to play after dark -- only one way in which it is distinguished from pre-existing driving ranges at Mid Ocean, Ocean View and Port Royal Golf courses. Making it even more superior are its eight target greens, placed from 75 to 230 yards out; while a sand trap, located beside the driving range enables out-of-bunker practice. And a putting green offers golfers added practice advantages through state-of-the-art surfaces designed to duplicate ball response on real greens and tees. Added Mr. Farge: "And with 40 driving bays available you won't have to wait hours for your turn and many of them are covered, which means wet weather won't cancel your practice plans, plus on sunny days there's no danger of too much sun exposure.'' A quality ball machine dispenses clean golf balls with the use of a token or debit card, and is conveniently located on the putting green for the use of all players. As well, each bay in the driving range is furnished with its own dispenser, which shoots new balls on to the tee. The Golf Academy also offers golf tuition by teaching pros, Mr. Farge, Leo Custodio and Eardley Jones, for any level golfer. "We'll even videotape your play if you wish, so you can watch yourself in action and get professional analysis. And if required, we'll teach you how to improve your game or correct bad golfing habits.'' Placed in a rural setting amid palm trees, brilliantly blue water and authentic pagodas, the 18-hole adventure mini-golf takes about 45 minutes to complete. Waterfalls and waterways throughout the course add to the fun as does a drawbridge over which one must send balls to meet the 16th hole. A high pressure system running through the pagodas which line the circuit creates a light mist to offer clients cool relief during hot summer months. "I always wanted a mini-golf course,'' said Mr. Farge. "(Premier) Pamela Gordon opened it April 19, a year to the date when the driving range first opened and that has gone very well.'' Topping the facility off, he added, is a junglegym which is great for kids, capable of accommodate 60 at any one time. "It's an excellent facility for birthday parties. And it's a great idea for kids. You can put them on the mini-golf, give them hotdogs and hamburgers and then put them on the junglegym to finish off the day.'' The Bermuda Golf Academy is open seven days a week, from 8 a.m.

to 10.30 p.m. PHOTO Bermuda Golf Academy owners Richard and Timmy Farge and employee Jerry Faries (right) want to make every golfing experience a fun, yet challenging one The Academy's rural setting is enhanced by misters, sure to be appreciated by golfers as they play at the Southampton facility over the Summer months Timmy Farge (front) and Jerry Faries demonstrate their skills on the adventure mini-golf course which was opened last month by Premier, Pamela Gordon