Recreation is top priority for junior golf series

The final foursome to tee off Thursday morning at the Foothills Golf Course had all the elements that golfers have become accustomed to when playing nine holes at their local track.

One player is in control of their game, hitting shots the rest can only envy. Another is just as invested mentally and working hard to improve. The third member is struggling but trying to stay positive, and the fourth is having a blast, regardless of where their shots go.

Even for a grouping of three boys and one girl, ranging in age from 7-12, golf means something different to each player, and the $1 junior golf summer competitions in Yuma the past two months have given each of them an opportunity to find what they were looking for.

“We're real informal,” Foothills golf pro and competition organizer Paul White said. “Once it got hot we told them they could put their clubs in the carts and ride in carts. They compete, but they really just come out and have a great time together, and we want it to be more about fun than rules.”

Thursday was the final competition at the Foothills before the series concludes on Tuesday at Desert Hills. White said he averages about 10 players each week, and Desert Hills doubles that number with a large group of high-school age golfers.

“The ones that are doing it are liking it, but it's still a hard sell in the summer,” White said.

Golf has taken 9-year-old Lauren Metcalf around the country to compete in U.S. Kids Golf world championship events, so nine holes at the Foothills Golf Course is mainly a practice round in her eyes. But she said she enjoys the chance to play with other local junior golfers, even if she's the only girl.

“It's always fun to win, and I get to practice the things I learn from my coaches,” Metcalf said. “I like playing with boys because if you want to play on the men's tour you need to know how to play with boys.”

Jacob Martinez, 12, played Thursday with his dad Frank alongside as coach and caddy. The younger Martinez also participated in the Desert Hills junior golf camp earlier this summer, and the weekly rounds have helped him put those lessons to use.

“I like the lessons because there's a lot of people but I do like coming out and playing,” Jacob said. “I hit it farther and concentrate better with my shots and aiming now.”

Frank Martinez said golf has become more of a family activity than a chance for Jacob to spend time with friends.

“I'd rather him take more lessons but he practices maybe twice a week with his brother,” Franks said. “He's definitely improved over the past year.”

Ten-year-old Reggie Hadlock took private lessons this year and comes out each week with his 7-year-old cousin James Charles to the competitions. Hadlock's grandpa Reginald said the difficult part for Reggie now is learning to find consistency before trying to learn golf's tricks shots.

“He bowls quite a bit too and he wants to hook the ball, but he's still too young,” the elder Hadlock said. “This gives him some experience to play at a time when the courses aren't too busy, and it gets them used to what they need to do in tournaments with rules and etiquette.”

White said golf clinics are becoming tough to schedule because of the different school districts' calendars, so the weekly $1 rounds were easier for kids to enjoy and parents to plan around.

“We don't have enough kids living (near the Foothills GC) where its worth it for us to run a program,” White said. “Nowadays kids are on traveling teams and they have to commit to one sport or another and parents can't afford to drive to back and forth to Phoenix for two different sports. We just want to get them out to start playing.”

Rob Weiler can be reached at rweiler@yumasun.com or 539-6883.