The event presented by the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association, in partnership with several clubs on the islands and the PGA’s Aloha Section, let young golfers and their parents explore the game in a fun-oriented environment that included refreshments. The participants were also taught some lessons in golf-related “kuleana” (a Hawaiian term for responsibility).
Julian Abella said he kind of knows about golf because he goes out with his dad once in a while. That knowledge, reported The Garden Island of Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii, brought him to the Hawaii Junior Free Golf Day on March 16. The event was presented by the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association (HSJGA), in partnership with numerous golf courses on the islands and club pros from the Professional Golf Association’s Aloha Section.
“We had about 650 young golfers registered for the event throughout the state,” Lauren Yama, an HSJGA leader, told The Garden Island. “I just got the golfers registered. We have a lot more turning out and registering at the different sites. I decided I wanted to spend the day at the Puakea Golf Course.”
Puakea Golf Course was one of three sites on Kauai where young golfers and their parents could explore the game in a free, fun-oriented environment, with refreshments being provided off the course’s mobile food truck, The Garden Island reported. Other sites on Kauai included the Princeville Makai and the Kiahuna golf clubs, where participating golf professionals could lead the aspiring golfers in the program geared toward new and beginning golfers ages 5 through 18 years old.
“This is my first time coming to the Free Golf Day,” said the younger Abella, wielding an over-sized plastic club and driving tennis balls in a short-chip skills course. “This is pretty fun.”
Young golfers had an opportunity to work through different skills stations, including a tug-of-war, Snag Chip, kick ball, Short Chip, Tic Tac Toe Putting, and putting and long drives using regulation golf balls, The Garden Island reported. Additionally, golfers worked through “cleaning up” or retrieving the balls they shot, as a lesson in “kuleana” (a Hawaiian term for responsibility) about the sport.
“This is modern technology,” said Daeja Tomas, a former Kauai Interscholastic Federation and collegiate golfer who works part-time at the Timbers Resort Hokuala Ocean Course. “We never had this when I was in junior golf and playing at high school. This is a lot of fun.”
Other former golf standouts helping, The Garden Island reported, included Pono Tokioka, Kenji Miyata, and left-handed golfer Taylor Viquelia, who is currently working for her teaching professional credentials at the Kukuiula golf club.
Parents could also gain information as well as register their aspiring golfers for the junior golf programs, The Garden Island reported. On Kauai that program is conducted by the Kauai Junior Golf Association, through representatives who were also among the field of volunteers administering a healthy dose of fun, physical activity, and refreshments in the morning sunshine.
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.