Youth golf: Kids golf free with Junior Tee

WORTHINGTON - Golf can be an expensive sport. The costs of equipment and greens or membership fees add up quickly. But this summer, kids have the opportunity to hit the links free of charge.
Jayme and Sean Boots from Marthaler Chevrolet of Worthington were looking for a way to get involved with sponsorship at Worthington Country Club. After speaking with general manager Deb Jaycox, the Junior Tee program was born.
“We decided the best way to get involved was to help the youth in the community who wouldn’t normally be able to get out here,” Jayme said Tuesday morning, sitting in the clubhouse at WCC.
Each Wednesday from 8-10 a.m. between now and the second week of August, kids ages 6-17 can receive lessons for free. Junior Tee is open to anyone, whether they’re a member at the country club or not. Cory Pelzel, head golf pro at WCC, will be providing instruction on all the fundamentals of golf. Employees from Marthaler Chevrolet will also be on hand to help as instructors. All of the equipment was also donated by the company. Therefore, kids don’t need to bring their own equipment if they don’t have any.
“It’s great to invest in kids’ futures,” Jayme said. “As a company, we spend money on advertising and all of the things that we’re supposed to, but it’s a lot more rewarding to invest some of our money in someone’s future.”
Kids interested in participating don’t need to sign up or call ahead. Jaycox said they can just show up (unless the weather is bad).
It isn’t just how to swing, chip, putt, etc. that kids will learn during the two-hour sessions. Jaycox said time is spent on proper etiquette as well.
The program has four key areas of focus: safety, honesty, respect and having fun. Jaycox said those are also implemented heavily into the weekly sessions.
“It teaches more than golf,” Jaycox said. “It teaches them how to be with other people and how to be respectful and honest in all aspects of life. We also hope it will get the kids into golf because it’s a sport they can play for their entire lives.”
When the Boots’ approached Jaycox about wanting to get involved with youth at the club, the PGA’s First Tee program came to mind. At some of the major golf courses throughout the country, the PGA is teaching golf and life skills through that endeavor. Jaycox used that as a model for Junior Tee.
It also falls in line well with some of the key emphases of GreatLIFE Malaska Golf and Fitness Club - which entered into a lease-to-own agreement with WCC in December.
“They’re really into getting kids and families involved,” Jaycox said. “They’re trying to get kids away from the iPads and iPhones and computers and TVs and whatever else. They want to get the kids away from that and help give them fun things to do while being active. It’s cool for them to wanna do this.”
Junior Tee is separate from the regular Junior Program at the country club. It is open to members and non-members alike.
“This program is designed for those kids [members] and maybe those who have never even tried to swing a club before,” Jaycox said.
Jayme added that through funding this program they can help build interest in golf throughout the community. She echoed the feelings of GreatLIFE and Jaycox in that Marthaler wants young people to get out of the house during the summer.
“It’s important for kids to have something to do,” she said.