School’s out, time for junior golf

Many programs available to teach the game to the next generation

Now that we’re into June, if you haven’t made your summer plans, time is running out. I’m not talking about vacation, I’m talking about teaching kids golf.

Certainly, many clubs will have activities for members and the Northeastern New York PGA has its Junior tour for top players and beginners. Additionally, I spent time last summer with the PGA’s Junior Golf League that included both country club kids and a crew of ragamuffins just learning the game. Each pulled off some great shots and some stinkers but they all left with smiles after participating. Check with your local course if you want to learn more.

For those not so fortunate, there are some other opportunities too at area municipal courses. The Junior Golf Alliance of NY has been running its First Tee DRIVE — will be running a First Tee LINK program for three hours a day (9 a.m.-noon) at three area municipal courses. Volunteers will help the coaches and PGA assistants with learning and play sessions. If you would like to volunteer or are interested in signing your child up to learn golf, contact Frank Ciarlo at juniorgolfalliance@gmail.com or 518-207-6758.

The clinics will be at Capital Hills at Albany June 28-30, July 3-7; Schenectady Municipal July 10-14, July 17-21; Frear Park July 24-28, July 31Aug. 3.

Also, the NYSGA is backing a Nike regional overnight junior golf camp: Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., Mount Snow Resort in Vermont and in Rochester as well as The Lawrenceville School, N.J., Rutgers University, N.J., and Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort and Woodloch Resort, in Pennsylvania.

Saratoga county am

Time is also ticking toward the Saratoga County Amateur. The 36hole medal play tournament will be played Friday, June 17 at Eagle Crest Golf Course and Saturday, June 18 at Ballston Spa CC. It’s open to all Saratoga County residents with Open and Senior (age 50-plus) divisions. Entry fee is $75. Applications are available at Saratoga County Golf Clubs and Pro Shops and for additional information call John Peterson (Eagle Crest) 877-8789 x229 or Todd Manderson (BSCC) 885-7935.

4-Ball update

Both local twosomes that played in the third annual U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Pinehurst, N.C., over Memorial Day weekend missed the cut but have some lasting memories. Jim Gifford of Clifton Park and Chad Stoffer of Niskayuna shot 147 for 36-holes and were seven strokes over the cut line. They did shoot 71 on the famed No. 2 course. Matt Clarke of Loudonville and former RPI hockey star Tony Hejna, who now lives in Ellicottville, shot 75 for each round.

By the way, Gifford got a late call as a U.S. Open Sectional alternate and got into the 36-hole event in Memphis. However, neither he nor Bryan Bigley of Rotterdam advanced on Monday.

Big shots

Janet Hotis had her first hole-in-one on May 28. It came at Mill Road Acres on No. 2, from 135-yards with a 3-wood. Her Bridgestone ball found the cup while Ruth Naylor and Margaret Connoly watched.

John Mendrysa and Greg Bennett won the gross division of the three-day George Ramsden Memorial played over Memorial Day weekend at Shaker Ridge CC.

Symetra summary

I did my part for international diplomacy and it led to a birdie. On Friday, while heading off to watch the back nine of Bailey Cocca, the assistant pro at Normanside CC and former Shaker H.S. standout, at the Fuccillo Kia Classic of NY, a woman in red flagged me down. She had a look of desperation on her face and asked if I could give her a ride to the first tee at Capital Hills. She had shown up at the 10th tee by mistake. I hesitated for a second because we in the media are just supposed to cover an event.

But trying to do my part for good media relations and show that we all don’t deliver “fake news,” I delivered Csicsi Rozsa of Budapest, Hungary to the first tee. She hopped in with her bag and we navigated the ups-anddowns and bustle around Martel’s and the pro shop from all the other afternoon players getting set and made it with five minutes to spare. I checked later and she birdied the par-5 opening hole which brought a smile to my face — and probably hers, too.

Congratulations to Hanna Koerstz Madsen of Copenhagen, Denmark who won when Daniela Iacobelli of Melbourne, Fla., made an untimely double-bogey on the final hole. Koerstz Madsen shot 205 (-8) to win by one over Iacobelli and Kim Welch of Sacramento, Calif.

Dodging bolts

Two-man Best Ball is the format this week for the Eastern New York Golf Association at the annual Lou Torre event at Sycamore. In last week’s summary, I got a chuckle from ENYGA Executive Director Andy Pludrzynski after the Fox Run stop in Johnstown. He said that after early morning fog, the day was playable but there was a late afternoon thunderstorm: “everyone finished their round, and no players were hit by lightning. There may have been a few close bolts while the last groups were putting out, but nobody got zapped. Thank God.” I’d say. Whew.