The Triad: A haven for junior golfing programs By DAVID DROSCHAK


Proper direction from the start could mean all the difference in the world as to wheth- er a 10-year-old falls in love with golf or finds the whole process tedious, complex or not as fun as other sports. But one thing is for sure – Triad


S


residents are blessed to have some of the state’s best junior programs and teachers. “Junior golf is so strong in the Triad


because it reflects the fabric of our com- munity,” said veteran golf professional Chris Haarlow of Precision Golf School in Greensboro. “Ever since the old Greater Greensboro Open (now the Wyndham Championship) it has been part of who we are in this area; we’ve consistently enjoyed golf and loved golf.” “Having a PGA Tour event for so long


definitely does not hurt, but it is more than that; there are some groups in the Triad who are actually providing junior golf programs and making them avail- able to everyone,” added Jason Cox of the


tarting your child out in a golf program may not be a simple as it sounds if you’re new to the game.


Carolinas Golf Association. “The days of the traditional junior programs at country clubs are just non-existent nowadays.” That’s why organizations like The First


Tee of the Triad, the CGA, Carolinas PGA and Precision Golf School are growing the game among juniors with some impressive numbers – and maybe more importantly – sound advice to potential golfers and their parents. “The best model out there is U.S. Kids


as far as being yardage appropriate, age appropriate and the kind of set-ups they use because it allows kids to experience their first pars and birdies at an earlier, younger age,” Haarlow said. “It also breaks down the barriers of having to learn how to break 100. Those hurdles are still there, but allowing for that good success after a couple of good shots, that’s really so impor- tant for the kids’ confidence, their develop- ment.”


Younger kids are encouraged to play


par-3s at 50 yards, par-4s and 100 yards and par-5s at 150 yards under the U.S. Kids model. The Carolinas PGA has pushed area


golf professionals and courses to participate in the PGA Junior Golf League Golf. This


new endeavor puts kids on teams like other sports to introduce them to competitive golf.


Last year, Precision Golf School and


its Triad Youth Golf Foundation founded the Triad Chapter of the TGYA, which is an entry-level type of tournament environ- ment for beginners aged 8-17. In 2016, the tournament logged 550 rounds. This year, that number is expected to jump to close to 900.


“This allows for a nice bridge from The


First Tee,” Haarlow said. The First Tee of the Triad is a remark-


able success story for beginners, reaching 1,300 kids last year and operating at 17 facilities throughout the Piedmont Triad, central North Carolina and southern Virginia.


Haarlow recommends beginners work-


ing on their game on a consistent basis either once or twice a week, depending on the child’s level of interest. “The other sports are basically out-pro-


gramming us,” he said. “When I sign my daughter up for skating they tell you what she has to do to advance to the different levels. The same thing with soccer. In golf, there hasn’t necessarily been that structure.


But with our junior programs we’re really designing them to where the parents can set up the schedule that will allow the kids to advance, and get some good building blocks and some good fundamentals on a consistent basis. “When we grew up we could go out


and hit golf balls and figure things out,” Haarlow added. “But now it’s a little bit of a generational thing with the technology and the phone where the kids are expect- ing everything to come easy. So, parents are having to work longer and harder with the kids.” Cox has a simple message to parents


and potential junior golfers wanting to take up the game. “You don’t have to be good to enjoy


it,” Cox said. “It doesn’t matter what skill level you are you can play the game. With a lot of other sports if you are not very good you are going to get beat up all the time and it’s not a whole lot of fun. Sure golf can be a tough game, but it also can be fun for everybody because if you hit that one good shot it’s going to bring you back the next time. No matter who you are or what level you are at you can play with somebody else and enjoy it.”


Special group rates and daily time tees available.


More than a year-round mountain golf resort. Spend your next golf vacation nestled on the north shore of beautiful Lake Lure in the foothills of western North Carolina at an escape, Rumbling Bald Resort. Surrounded by the towering cliffs of Rumbling Bald Mountain, our 3,000+ acre property is home to a private sand beach, distinct dining experiences, wellness center and spa, numerous hiking and biking trails, and so much more. Golfers will enjoy our two championship golf courses, each with a Golf Digest 4-star rating. Our courses weave themselves through the property and are specifically manicured for world-class play.


Featured Hole #16 Par 3 at Bald Mountain Golf Course Scenes from the hit movie “Dirty Dancing” where filmed here.


Call 828.694.3000 or visit RumblingBald.com 10 TRIAD GOLF TODAY • MARCH 2017 www.triadgolf.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32