REGINALD ALCEUS Outlook Staff Writer

REGINALD ALCEUS
Outlook Staff Writer

As summer approaches, school children of all ages will be looking for ways to stay active and have fun. To meet their needs, the Jake Gaither and Hilaman golf courses are offering two junior golf camps starting Monday.

Tim Lawson, director of the Big Bend Junior Golf Tour, said the summer camp, which has been functioning for approximately 25 years, is a chance to improve the competitiveness of the golfers in the Big Bend area. Boys and girls ages 7 to 17 are allowed to participate at a cost of $250, which includes a golf tournament and a banquet. Instructors monitor the competitive golf round and the rules and etiquette dictating the game.

The Hilaman Golf Course training camp is open every Monday until August 2. Lawson’s 15 year participation with the camp is due to his desire to prepare young golfers for their junior high and high school teams. In addition to sunburn and lunch, Lawson hopes the values of etiquette integrity, honesty and discipline will be picked up by the participating children. The venue offers play on eight different golf courses with varying layouts and strategies, and gives the children a variety of learning opportunities.

“I think the kids playing here will get more skill and knowledge of the sport, and they’ll be more comfortable playing with other people,” said Michael Rudell, 13, a student at Florida High School. “I got interested in the game because my grandfather was a professional back in the day, (and) I started playing at age six. I hope the camp will help me develop a little more skill, while I’m playing with other people.”

Like others hoping to better their talents, Rudell is currently practicing for a greater incentive and plans to try out for the Florida High Golf Team. Others, like Pledger Striplin,13, a Deer Lake Middle School student, said although golf may run in his family, he is dedicated to the game not for competition’s sake but for the fun of playing. John Carter, father to camp participant Jonathan Carter, 13, said his son got interested in the game from watching him play. The camp is a good opportunity for Camp’s son and other children to play, while he and other parents are at work.

“Golf is just something you can play for a lifetime, and I want my son to learn how to play so he can enjoy it in the future,” Carter said. “Golf (also) teaches you how to follow rules, and in addition to that, he is out here by himself, a little unsupervised, so I hope he learns how to behave himself.”

Across the city, the Jake Gaither Golf Course has been devoted to helping many local children develop their swing for the first time. From Monday until June 28, the Jake Gaither Golf Course training camp is open to children ages 8 to 17 every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at a registration rate of $75. Supervisor Rosie Keween and others at the camp want the youth to have the opportunity to learn values and skills, and teamwork. The first morning consisted of teaching the children to “put” and “chip,” and hit a full swing. Having the camp during the summer, Keween said, was a good recreational opportunity for the kids who are currently out of school. The first week has already seen 10 children register for the camp. This is the first year the Jake Gaither Golf Course has held a training camp, though the administration hopes to make it an annual program.

“This will teach the children how to play golf, learn to accept more responsibility, like if you miss a hole, don’t get mad and keep calm,” said Nick White, 13. Chloe Boyd, 11, a student at Imagine School at Evening Rose, became interested in golf from watching her golf idol Natalie Gomez. She has been playing for two years. She hopes joining the camp will help to improve her swing and give her a chance to obtain a golf scholarship being offered to girls.

“Golf teaches me that having loud noise is not always good but having a nice, quiet sport to relax is good too,” Boyd said. “I’m a big believer in recreation being important to kids, and golf is a great sport because people can play golf when they’re eight or when they’re 80,”Keween said. “It’s a good opportunity, and in addition to learning about golf, I think kids, by participating in activities like this, learn about themselves and their skills. They learn social skills; they become part of a team, and they’re real excited because it’s something new for them.”

Randy Franklin and Carlin Bryant co-manage the camp and instruct the children on the game’s basics. Franklin, who has been playing for approximately eight years, stressed that although playing gave children the chance to socialize and have fun, it was especially meaningful for African American children and children trying to stay of trouble.

“I was a little troublemaker and after I started playing golf, there was no more trouble,” Franklin said. “I wanted to help in this program to keep other kids out of trouble and give them a look at golf. This is a good opportunity for blacks because they don’t always get the chance to go to golf courses.”

Reginald Alceus can be reached at realceus@capitaloutlook. com