olf society gives

kids crack ai gaitie |

A thousand school children to play on N. Shore

By ian Nobie

News Reporter fan@nsnews.coni

WEARING an orange Nike cap and Foot Joy spikes, 11-year-old

Chris Laurie sips a soft drink on the Northlands Golf Course patio.

Chris’ father introduced the youngster to the game when he was five or six. But the Upper Lynn elementary school stu- dent realizes he’s lucky to have had the start in golf he’s had.

Chris said he plays golf in his backyard with friends who aren’t golfers because their par- ents don’t play However, said Chris, if his friends are able to play golf at school, they might pick up the game.

“It will give them a chance to figure out why we like it,” he said, with a nod to his friend Brooks Holly, who is seated beside him.

Getting kids to play is the idea behind a program intro- duced by North Shore clemen- tary schools and the North Shore Public Golf Society, which spearheaded the drive to build Northlands. The schools and society, along with CPGA pro volunteers, conducted spring clinics at five elementary schools with 320 elementary students in the spring.

When the fall rolls around, the golf course society hopes 1,900 students will also be swinging the clubs at secondary and elementary schools.

Said golf course society president Don Davis: “Our objective is to introduce young people to golf, to motivate and excite them about the game.

“We don’t expect to pro-

el

PRO Peter Knill gives Sherwood Park students golf tips (above). Upper Lynn siudent Brooks Holley shows his form at Northlands as Chris Laurie watch-

es (right).

bonus.”

In the spring, local CPGA pros visited Grade 6 students at Sherwood Park, Dorothy Lynas, Carisbrooke, Norgate and Lonsdale.Capilano associ- ate golf pro Randy Smith taught students at Lonsdale elementary using, whiffle balls students hit off of rubber mats.

He took the students through basic fundamentals such as the grip and how to swing, a club.

“Some had never held a golf club before. The sooner you start, the easier it is,” said Smith on the importance of getting kids started carly.

To teach kids, Smith said he made the instruction more lighthearted and less technical than instruction for adults. Games and creative instruction are needed to hold children’s attention, he said. Kids, he added, have to be allowed to hie the ball as much as possible without a lot of dialogue.

Seymour Golf and Country

duce another Tiger Woods. But - Club Dale Schienbein is the

hey, if we did, that would be a

$€---------4

head pro for the program, but

—E—_—_—__ TT

DAYTIME DRAMA

925-0102

Part. Royal South ¢ 9am to 9pm * 7 days a week

Me cas semen mame ona sone em coms SOE OES Se om

it’s also supported by many other pros. Also tutoring, stu- dents in the art of golf are Rob Bryce and Don Duarand from Seymour, Gleneagles Golf Course’s James Davie of , Takaya Golf Centre’s Peter Knill, Seymour Creck Golf Centre’s Dean Kuntz, and Randy Smith and Jon Greyall of Capilano Golf and Country Club.

Society director — Brent Mitchell organizes the junior golf program. Mitchell said the clinics will be conducted on school fields or playgrounds and secondary students are expected to use Northlands and Seymour courses.

The society has amassed 70 goif clubs, 40 mats and 1,200 whiffle balls.

“As well as the goliing skill itself, we want the youngsters to have fun, to enjoy, and to develop sociability and meet challenge,” said Mirchell.

The socicty raised funds for junior golf from a casino night granted by the B.C. Gaming Commission.

Pro Shop Sale!

9-Piece Club Sets: Hogan Edge Tour (Graphite) ....§699 TaylorMade Tour Rifle .. $799 Titleist DCT (Steel). ..$634 Mizuno, Wilson, all the best names in golf.

Group Golf Lessons (4 one-hour lessons)............. Junior Drop-in Clinic 10 am & 11 am, Saturdays... $10 rr wee Co Ges ee GER) eee ee eee ee Buckets of Golf Balls: | BUY ONE... GET ONE FREE!

Buy one driving range token and gct one free. L. Offer valid with this ad until August 31/97.

Seymour Creek Golf Centre 315 Seymour Boulevard, North Vancouver Yo Qust east of Highway #1, enter off Mt. Seymour Partoway) 987-8630 for inlormaiion & appointments.