Young golfers benefiting

Laurie Craddock
Contributing Writer
RECENTLY the
Canadian Men’s Seniors
Match Play
Championship was
piayed at Capilano in
West Vancouver.

Players had to be over 55
years of age with a 6 or better
handicap. Sure these guys
would be accustomed to play-
ing a lot but listen to this fora
rigorous schedule:

W@ Monday — practice round;
Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday — 18 holes of medal
play each day. The low 32 go
into match play;

@ Friday, Saturday and Sunday
—36 holes per day for threc
more days if you are a finalist!

About one third of the
field rode power carts. Most

: walked and many carried their
clubs. Being in shape is crucial

. to playing god senior golf.
Back problems arise and old

_. Sports inturies take their toll.
Physiotherapists can help, and
exercises for stretching and

of the spectrum — the recent
youth movem

Tiger at a
and this vear it
tour that is being taken by
storm by youth.

Se Ri Pak’s U.S. Women’s
Open victory made her the
youngest ever to win the
major at age 20 — and, if she
had lost the playoff to Jenny
Chuasiriporn, also 20, then
Jenny would have been the
youngest ever! Pat Hurst at 20
(and a few months older than
her "98 counterparts) held the
record previously.

How do you get so good,
so young?

In Pak’s case it’s no acci-
dene. At age 14 she gave up
track and field and cook up
golf. By age 18 she was good
enough to attract the attention
of Samsung, the largest com-
pany in South Korea. Samsung
signed her to a 10 year con-

tract, paid her expenses to the
LPGA tour and — the best
part — paid David Leadbetter,
golPs premier teacher, to tutor
Se Ri, which he has been
doing since 1996.

According to Toronto golf
writer, Lorne Rubenstein, who
saw her in action with
Leadbetter, the legendary
coach is developing her ability
to hit with the force of the
large muscles (legs and back)
and in the process taking the
stress away for her wrists.

Pak injured her wrists in a
fat! while jumping hurdles in
her track days (Let's hope this
doesn’t become her Achilles
heel! No pun intended).

I predict you'll see more of
these 19 and 20 year old kids
walking off with tour victories
on both tours. College team
coaching in the U.S. is high
tech these days plus playing on
and staying on a College Team
is about as pressure packed as
the tour itself.

By the time a 20-year-old
has played four years on a col-
lege team and received in
depth personal coaching and

pressure cooker team play
week after week, he or she is
close te the temperament and
physical skill of a hardened
tour player.

On this note it is interest-

from college

ing that in the recent B.C.
Amateur, 25 of the lowest 71
scores were by kids that are
currently on golf scholarships
inthe US.

Young, aspiring golfers

should keep this is mind at
back ro school time.

Laurie Craddock, a lifelong
student of the game of golf, is the
manager of Northlands Golf
Course.

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