Summer Learning Opportunities For Junior Golfers

Manuel de la Torre was the first golf professional inducted into the now perennial list of the top 100 golf instructors in the country. He has been teaching the golf swing for 60+ years and at age 85 still teaches every day. Manuel told me that if students of the game spent a fraction of their golf dollars on lessons, that their golf skills would improve significantly. Not that $400 drivers aren't important! Just less important than an opportunity to learn the game from a golf professional.

Ben Hogan was pestered for years about how he discovered his "secret" to the golf swing. Hogan could be a salty character....some would say a curmudgeon and in response to one of these frequent queries he snapped:"Secret? If you want to discover my secret do it the way that I did...dig it out of the dirt on the range!"
Hogan's advice should be well-taken as well but it seems that a combination of practice and professional instruction may lead to positive outcomes more rapidly than one or the other.

The advent of video equipment (not a new concept) and its use in teaching any of the kinesthetic skills associated with golf has made the game more accessible to its students. To be able to see oneself attempt to form an effective, repeating golf swing can be a revelation or a frustrating experience but either way, an opportunity is presented which will eventually lead to progress, improvement and greater satisfaction with this game; perhaps the most difficult of all games.

Summer golf camps/academies are available in Ozaukee Cty. Both Fire Ridge and the Bog offer camps in June, July and August. Topics include swing fundamentals, short game, putting, the full swing and golf course etiquette. Both camps include video taping.

The four two camps at Fire Ridge will be held on June 15th-16th, July 6th-7th, July 27-28 and August 18th-19th. The camps at FR will be taught by PGA professionals Jason Brindowski and Jared Delveaux. The cost of the camps at Fire Ridge is $60 and includes a Fire Ridge hat, a certificate and lunch on the second day. The camps at Fire Ridge are held between 10 and 1 each day. Registration for Fire Ridge camps may be made by calling 262-375-2252.

The camps at the Bog will be held on six consecutive Tuesdays between June 22 and July 27 and includes a parent/student play date on August 3. The camps are age-grouped but campers may be moved between groups according to ability. The 6-8 year old campers meet between 9 and 10; the 9-11 year olds between 9-9:30 and the 12-17 year olds will meet between 8-9 AM.
The Bog camps will be taught by PGA professionals Chris Van Pietersom and Andy Runkel, long-time associates at the Bog. Registration for the Bog camps may be made at 262-284-7075.

Teacher to camper ratios at both camps allow for individual instruction.

John Ehle may be reached at jcehle@sbcglobal.net