Andy Close
WARREN, Pa. – The youngsters at the Warren County YMCA are getting the opportunity to learn all about the game of golf.
YMCA Youth Sports Coordinator Andrew Papalia introduced a junior golf program, with Wednesday being the first class. The classes were broken down into age groups – 5-7, 8-10, and 11 and up.
The kids not only are learning about the game of golf but having fun along the way.
“It went really well,” Papalia said of the first classes on Monday. “We had a really good turnout and the kids really enjoyed it.”
Each class will focus on different aspects of the game, with the first installment focusing on the short game, specifically putting.
“We touched base with putting, and went over the rules of the game as well,” Papalia said. “The kids were able to grasp it really well. With the older kids, we’re able to do a little more one-on-one.”
As with any class, there was ‘homework,’ at the end (the fun kind, of course).”
“I joked with the kids that they had homework,” Papalia said. “I just gave them different things that they can work on at home if they want.”
The plan is to incorporate a different aspect of the game each week, with the end goal of putting all of those things together by the end of classes.
“Next week will be chipping and the following week will be full swing,” Papalia said. “The last couple weeks we’ll incorporate it all together and at the end, I plan on setting up a little hole in the gym. Most of it is just pure fundamentals – posture, grip, and teaching them how to swing correctly.”
The first class was on Wednesday, but the rest will take place on Mondays.
