Gearing up ‘fore’ summer golf camps
So often golf is thought of as a sport for business people looking to get out of the office or something that one takes up in their retirement, but the game is becoming increasingly popular with kids. Junior golfers who want to spend a week of their summer hitting the links can sign up for the University of Calgary’s Mini Pro Golfers camps, designed for children entering grades three through eight.
Each day of camp, the young golfers get to hit a city golf course and play up to nine holes, while also practising on putting greens and driving ranges. Campers are guided by trained university camp leaders and also receive direct instruction from a CPGA pro for two of the five days of camp.
“One thing we do to make it more appealing to kids is that we do do a lot of mini putting games,” says Mini University program coordinator Evan Smibert. “We try to game-ify golf so the focus isn’t on who’s the best golfer. We also play best ball when we’re on the course to speed things up.”
In addition to learning the ins and outs of the game, many parents also support their kids’ interest in golf because of the protocol that’s inherent to the sport. Unlike some more aggressive sports, children can also hone their social skills when they’re out on the course.
“Part of the golf camp is the etiquette skills,” says Logan Jones, manager of Youth Programs. “They need to learn how to conduct themselves in a particular way so that they’re respectful of each other, they’re respectful of the golf course and they’re respectful of other players.”
For more information or to register for Mini Pro Golfers or other University of Calgary summer camps, visit uCalgary.ca/ ActiveLiving.