Kids in the swing

By Ben Hope
IT takes more than a little rain to dampen spirits at the Garfield Golf Club, where a group of local children are taking part in a free Victorian Golf Association program designed to help them get started in the sport.
Clubhouse manager Kevin Whitmore said that since starting the VGolf skills challenge program eight weeks ago, there have only been two Thursdays afternoons when it didn’t rain.
Despite the weather, the program is now well and truly up and running and looking for new participants.
Every Thursday afternoon the program offers free coaching and advice as well as the opportunity to practise golf skills on the Garfield course.
Kevin said with the help of the Victorian Golf Association we went around to our local primary schools to tell them about the V Golf skill challenge.
“We now have about 30 kids enrolled with 10 to 12 turning up each Thursday. When it rains we have to stay inside, but we can still work on our putting skills,” he said.
The program is already popular thanks to word-of-mouth and positive feedback from parents.
Kevin said a lot of parents had already called to inquire about the program and were generally surprised that it was offered for free.
As a retired professional golfer, Kevin is more than qualified to run the program, with help of parents and other volunteers.
“I was a professional golfer for nine years but moved on to other pursuits about 25 years ago,” he said. “I wanted to put a bit back into the golf and help get the kids started.”
Kevin started playing golf at the age of 16 and said he appreciated the support he had from older players who helped him get started.
“You don’t have to be a good golfer to get something out of the program,” he said. “It helps kids to meet new people as well as being good for their co-ordination. It’s also good exercise and gets them out in the fresh air and out from in front of the computer.”
The VGolf program is designed to encourage eight to 16-year-olds to get started in the sport as well as providing a development pathway.
The coaching covers hitting long shots, holing putts, chipping the ball and many other skills important for improving results.
Vacancies in the program are still available and further information is available from the Garfield Golf Club on 5629 2794.