Go greens! 3rd Annual Youth Golf Clinic Begins
These Oskaloosa youth are taking driving lessons in conjunction with the 3rd Annual Youth Golf Clinic (photo submitted)
Oskaloosa,Iowa – Oskaloosa’s four week youth golf clinic began at Harvest Point Golf Course with an introduction workshop on Wednesday July 6th and 7th.
PGA professional golfers from Oskaloosa Golf, Harvest Point Golf and Edmundson Golf began the clinic by teaching youth basic golf IQ, griping, putting and driving. The clinic has twelve volunteers working with 50 youth across the three golf courses over the next three weeks. The clinic will end with a pizza party hosted by Osky Golf on Thursday August 4th.
The Mahaska Community Rec Foundation, (MCRF), is a partner with the golf courses for the clinic and will provide a power point of the youth in action to be shown at the pizza party. “We are happy to partner with community organizations that initiate recreation for the youth of our community,” said Sherry Vavra of MCRF. “To facilitate and promote recreation is our mission.”
The 2011 Mahaska County Junior Golf Program provides golf instruction for beginners to advanced participants. “The program has increased in participation and we are enhancing our programming with more events,” said Cindy Junkins, of Oskaloosa Golf Course. She explained that their club now offers Junior Golf events as part of the summer programming. One event is the Junior 2 person scramble July 18th and 25th this month.
Several of the youth players have participated since the first year. Blake is one such 12 year old who has participated in the clinic for the last three years. “I like golf because it is a good activity for the summer and you don’t get bored.” He stated as he stepped out on the green at Osky golf Tuesday July 13th. Each of the three Oskaloosa golf courses voluntarily share in this annual clinic to instruct youth on what can turn into a life-long love for the game.
Volunteers in the Oskaloosa Youth Golf Clinic:
PGA Professionals Jeff Smith and Matt Sherlock (Harvest Point), PGA Professional Jeff Peterson (Edmundson), and PGA Professional BG Campbell (Oskaloosa Golf). Other volunteers included: John Bowker, Tom Gillespie, Cindy Junkins, Joe McCurdy, Roger Parlett, John Pothoven, Ben Roberts, Lori Smith and Jim Spry.
