The importance of junior golf to the game of golf really cannot be fully expressed in words. The health of our game relies on young players taking up the game and continuing to play and contribute to the sport into adulthood. Without youth playing golf and taking up the game to replace those who can no longer continue playing, the numbers and overall popularity of the game inevitably will die off. This trend has been seen in other sports locally such as curling and is beginning to leak into golf as well. For this reason as well as many others, myself and thousands of other golf professionals around the world host junior golf camps, programs and tournaments to give young athletes the chance to not only take up the game for recreational purposes but to excel at the game and in some cases make a living or pay for some of their education by playing the game at an elite level.
Junior golf is not only vital to the health of the game but the health of the juniors that play it as well. The game of golf can teach young adults many lessons during their time on the course while providing great exercise as well. Golf differs from many other sports in the way that it is an individual sport. In this type of sport children are praised for achieving individual goals that have been set for them or better yet, that they have to for themselves. This can provide a unique avenue for children to learn self motivation and independence, something that can serve them very well throughout life outside of the golf course. The golf course itself is even a safe and secure environment for children to get some exercise, compete with friends and even gain a mentoring relationship with members of the club. The list of benefits goes on and on and for all those willing to listen I'd be glad to continue to list them off for you but for now I will get to the point of this post!
In 2016, I am thrilled to be working with five courses in Western Manitoba in growing junior golf by offering or being involved in teaching programs at each one. Myself along with some fellow professionals and some young helpers will be offering programs at the Shilo Country Club, Deer Ridge Golf Course, Carberry Sandhills Golf Course, Glenboro Golf & Country Club and Taurus Golf Course. This is something I am very excited and proud to be a part of this season and I hope to see many juniors out enjoying the game the way I did as a kid and still do to this day. Information on these programs can be found in the posters below or at patricklawgolf.com/pages/junior-golf. Sign up information is in each of the posters but please feel free to contact myself with any additional questions you may have about a specific program!
