In today’s golf world, competitive junior tours are everywhere and they’re a destination for many good young players in the summertime.
But those players didn’t get good overnight. It took years of learning the game and practicing the proper techniques.
Chances are some of those talented young players in this area started learning the game at Paint Creek Country Club, where their Junior Program works on the fundamentals while having fun on the course.
‘I’ve seen these kids grow up and play on their high school golf teams,? said Paint Creek General Manager Steve Vickery, the former professional at the course who designed the current junior program.
As the summer season wrapped up, the course hosted Junior Guest Day on August 18, in which players in their junior program (who must be members at Paint Creek CC) brought friends and played in a scramble format.
‘The big teaching comes in the first three weeks of the program,? said current Head Pro Jeremy Lathwell. ?(At Guest Day) there’s no real teaching involved. It’s more about having fun.?
Fun was indeed had on every hole by the nearly 100 participants in the Guest Day activities.
The golfers played five, six or nine holes, depending on skill level and experience, with appropriate tee markers set up in the fairways for the younger players.
Parent volunteers helped out by carting the younger players around and searching for lost balls.
‘We’ve got to have parents involved, otherwise the program wouldn’t work,? said volunteer Greg Kwasek, who said the parent volunteers offered their help each week.
Some even offered instruction to the beginning golfers on guest day.
‘Keep your head down,? ‘line up the putt,? and ‘good looking shot,? were just some of the comments overheard on the course.
‘Now about half of our program is 10 and under,? said Vickery, noting having players that young was once a rarity.
‘There was never anything like this when we were that young,? he added.
The program finished the season by hosting a banquet this week.