Davie Golf Club wraps up summer of successful junior camps
For instructors at the Davie Golf Club, it was another busy summer of teaching youth the fundamentals of the sport.
The final session in the Junior Golf Camp program took place last month. A total of 38 young golfers participated.
The overall camp was partially funded by proceeds from the James B. Pirtle Memorial Golf Classic that is an annual event during the Orange Blossom Festival in February.
“The children didn’t need to have any experience in golf at all, and clubs were provided to those who didn’t have their own set,” said Dave Harris, director of marketing for the Davie Golf Club.
The camps were open to boys and girls of ages 6-17 who wanted to learn the fundamentals of the sport. Each camp provided 10 hours of professional instruction plus fun and games. Lunch was provided and each participating junior golfer received a personalized Davie Golf bag tag and divot tool.
The younger students (ages 6-11) were taught the basics of the game with SNAG golf equipment, which are oversized clubs and balls designed specifically for that group. The juniors (ages 12-17) were given lessons with regular youth clubs.
“We try to have fun,” said Davie Golf Club teaching pro Alan Vickers. “There were a couple of kids who were into golf and the rest were basically beginners. They were just learning.”
The SNAG golf program worked real well with young kids, Vickers continued, in that it showed the campers exactly how to hold the golf club. The children would aim at targets and the ball would stick to the target.
“The kids had fun with that, and you can play little games with it and give prizes,” Vickers said. “The last day we took them out on the course and played a scramble. They learned etiquette, how to mark a ball and things like that. It was excellent.”
The next event scheduled at the Davie Golf Club is the annual Joseph J. Montopoli Memorial Golf Tournament on Oct. 13. The tournament will raise money for two nonprofit organizations: Kids Can and the Davie-Cooper City Chamber of Commerce.
Kids Can is a local nonprofit organization based on the concept of kids helping kids. Their mission is to unlock the potential in children by empowering them with the opportunity to give back to the community and enrich the lives of those less fortunate.
The golf tournament, which is slated for a 1 p.m. shotgun start, is dedicated to the memory of Montopoli who passed away unexpectedly in 2016 after serving the Town of Davie as its Fire Chief for more than 10 years. Montopoli came to Davie after serving a successful 25-year career in Pembroke Pines.
Kids Can is a local nonprofit organization based on the concept of kids helping kids. Their mission is to unlock the potential in our children by empowering them with the opportunity to give back to the community and enrich the lives of children who may be less fortunate.
Player registration and sponsor info is available at www.davie-coopercity.org or by calling the Chamber office at 954-581-0790.