SCHENECTADY Program offers city youths a free chance to learn golf BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Justin Mason at 395-3113 or jmason@dailygazette.net.
Ya’nique Van Ness looked down at her small club as golf pro Brian Damon calmly gave her tips. “Let’s get those arms extended,” he explained, as he adjusted the 8-year-old girl’s grip. “Now keep your right hand lower than the left.” Her first stroke pushed the ball wide of the hole and her second just short. But on her third, the ball trickled in, prompting a broad smile to wash over Ya’nique’s face. It was a day of firsts for Ya’nique, who never held a golf club before, much less putted a ball into a cup. But this summer will be different for the Ward Avenue youth, who recently enrolled in Schenectady’s chapter of “Hook a Kid on Golf,” a program run through the National Alliance for Youth Sports. Ya’nique is one of about 120 youths expected to participate in the second-year program, which is aimed at teaching the basics of golf to children who might not otherwise get a chance to learn the sport. This year, city and county leaders got help from the Schenectady’s chapter of the NAACP, the YMCA and the Hamilton Hill Neighborhood Association in an effort to double the size of the nationally recognized junior golf program. “We’re going to be getting more kids involved in the program,” said Mayor Brian Stratton during a news conference at the Schenectady Municipal Golf Course Saturday morning. “To think that these kids have the opportunity to step out of the neighborhood and learn the game of golf is tremendous.” The four-hour golf clinic is open for children ages 8 through 12 and runs for six weeks, starting Monday. This year, the YMCA will provide a free bus service for children participating in select week-long clinics included in Schenectady’s program, which was named the top new site of 2008 by the national organization. City officials and community leaders are hoping to raise money for the clinics during the Charity Classic Golf Tournament, which is scheduled for July 28 at the municipal golf course. Last year, the event raised more than $24,000, allowing more than 60 children to participate in the program. “It’s our expectation that some of these kids here in this program are the future of golf,” said Paul Webster, the executive director of Schenectady’s NAACP. The idea is to expose children to golf at a young age so they learn golf and life lessons, said Lou Magliocca, executive director of the Schenectady YMCA. And in some cases, the clinic may be the only chance a child will get to pick up the sport at a young age. ...............>>>>................>>>>................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar01300
Editorial: Schenectady youth golf program good for the kids, and Muny, too Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Golf is often thought of as a rich man’s (or woman’s) game, and while there’s no question that it can be, it doesn’t have to be — as the people who play with department-store clubs at reasonably priced public courses like Schenectady Municipal can attest. Still, it’s probably one of the last games that someone growing up in an inner-city neighborhood is likely to be exposed to, which is sad not only because of the exercise it offers and the fact it is a game for all ages, but the terrific opportunity it provides for friendships, business relationships, social skills, etc. Thus Schenectady Muny’s 2-year-old “Hook a Kid on Golf” program, subject of a Sunday Gazette story earlier this week, deserves high praise and the public’s support. More than just a one-day visit to a golf course, it’s a six-week program that teaches participants the game’s basics, its rules and etiquette. And it not only provides the necessary equipment and lessons, but an opportunity to play on one of the area’s nicest public courses. The program has captured the attention of city and community leaders, who are holding a tournament at the golf course July 28 to raise money for the program; and the assistance of the NAACP, YMCA and Hamilton Hill Neighborhood Association to increase participation..............>>>>.............>>>>..........http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/jul/15/715_prrint/
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