S P E C I A L   F O C U S

In the last 15 years, the number of junior golfers playing on courses around the nation has increased more than 43 percent.

In the last 15 years, the number of junior golfers playing on courses around the nation has increased more than 43 percent. Currently, there are more than two million junior golfers playing on the links. Unfortunately for these junior golfers, however, there has been no golfing equivalent to Little League Baseball or AYSO Soccer. These children have not had the benefit of an organized league in which to hone their skills in a competitive, yet fun environment. Until now. Hook A Kid On Golf of Illinois is attempting to change all that. With the help of organizations around the state of Illinois AND the nation, Hook A Kid has implemented what it calls "Challenge Golf Leagues." This program, used either alone or in conjunction with other Hook A Kid On Golf elements, was designed so that kids of varying skill levels could practice and play in a format that stresses fun and learning, but also adds an element of competition.

Boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 15 who have participated in any elementary golf program are eligible to participate. In the Challenge Golf Leagues, they are divided into teams of six players which, in turn, are divided into three teams of two players each. The two-person teams compete in 9-hole match-play scramble events against kids on the opposing teams. All children who belong to the same team are given matching shirts or hats to instill in them team spirit. Challenge Golf Leagues enable junior golfers to continue their participation in the sport of golf and to learn more about the rules, etiquette, and traditions of the game. Much like in other youth sports, parents and volunteers act as coaches for the leagues. They hold practices during the week, where the children can work on their respective games with their teammates. According to former PGA Tour player and Hook A Kid On Golf national spokesperson. Bob Murphy: "Golf can be one of the loneliest games of all because you spend so much time working on your own. Through the Challenge Leagues, youngsters have the unique opportunity to learn and develop skills with their teammates and to use them in a competitive format that has never been available before. "Our dream is to build a Little League of golf, and we've made tremendous progress." Recently, the National Alliance for Youth Sports held a meeting in West Palm Beach, FL, to train individuals

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to implement Challenge Golf Leagues. An interesting statistic that came out of this meeting was that less than 15 percent of children who are introduced to the game of golf have a chance to keep learning. The Challenge Golf Leagues aim to increase this percentage.

There has to be somewhere for these leagues to be implemented, though. This is where Illinois park districts and forest preserves come into play. In the year 2000, 43 percent of Hook A Kid On Golf's programs were made possible by park districts and recreation departments all around Illinois. The program also works well for the golf courses, because these leagues can be scheduled during downtimes on the golf course when normally there are fewer players on the links.

Mark Heidkamp, Class A PGA member and director of golf at the Old Orchard Golf Course, Prospect Heights Park District, has held Challenge Golf Leagues involving up to 50 kids for the past two years. He thinks that the program is beneficial to all involved.

"Challenge Golf Leagues benefit the community because they give kids a place to go where they can play on a real course and develop into a good golfer," says Heidkamp. "The places that the leagues are held can also benefit because the kids are playing on their courses; the more we do for the kids, the more they can do for us. Hopefully, they'll return when they're older.

"Letting the kids play your course is a great idea. You can think of it as an investment for the future."

Hook A Kid On Golf and the Illinois Park and Recreation Association are working together to try to bring the game of golf to more children, especially those ages 5 to 15 years. Both organizations would love for this sport to become a fixture in the lives of youngsters everywhere. One of the ways to help this goal along is to make it easier for them to play in leagues with other kids in their age group who are also interested in the game of golf. The Challenge Golf Leagues help that tenfold.

Another way to help in this mission is to make sure that children are exposed to the sport of golf early on. Hook A Kid is working diligently on this, utilizing their Start Smart Program. Through the Start Smart Golf Program, youngsters use specially designed products from SNAG^TM (Start New at Golf) golf, which are safe, fun, and highly successful in teaching the basic fundamentals of golf to children. These programs encourage parent participation in teaching children basic golf skills, as well as encouraging fair play, increasing their self-confidence, and making sure they learn to enjoy the game. SNAG^TM is an innovative indoor/outdoor game developed by former PGA Tour players Terry Anton and Wally Armstrong. Hook A Kid On Golf and START SMART are both programs of the National Alliance for Youth Sports.

The vice president of Youth Development for the alliance, John Engh, says: "This new program will finally allow the hundreds of recreation agencies that we deal with the opportunity to implement a youth golf program. These agencies have been limited in the past because of lack of access to a facility.

"We've never seen anything like this. Using SNAG^TM equipment, START SMART Golf can be run in a park, a gymnasium, or even a parking lot. The possibilities are really endless."

To introduce the two programs. Hook A Kid turned to Mayor Daley's Holiday Sports Festival in Chicago the weekend before the new year. Kids and adults alike were encouraged to participate in the Hook A Kid booth where they were sent through four stages of play. First, participants putted for points using the special equipment. They then headed over to the chipping station where they spent time trying to hit Velcro blocks and other targets. Next, players practiced their full swing, aiming to hit hanging targets with balls. Finally, they tried to answer a series of trivia questions regarding golf history, etiquette, and rules.

Says 9-year-old Erin of Chicago, a participant in the festival: "My favorite part was chipping. I liked to see the balls hit the targets, stick on, and not come off."

That's the kind of enthusiasm for the game that can last a lifetime. •

HOLLY ALCALA is an LPGA member and the program director for Hook a Kid on Golf Illinois.

To learn more about Hook A Kid On Golf's Challenge Golf Leagues, as well as the other elements that make up the program, go to www.hookakidongolf.org or call the Illinois office at 630.466.0913.

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