Mount Vernon Junior League golf action stepped up to the tee last week, and under the coaching of Mount Vernon Nazarene University assistant golf coach and former PGA Canada Tour winner TT Crouch, along with Mount Vernon High School golf coach Anthony Savage, the student-golfers continued progress and recorded some hot scores.
In the third week of golfing competition at the Vernon View Golf Course, 901 Beech St. in Mount Vernon, Griffin Beach continued his lead and moved up to Level 4 with a 32 for a two-round total of 58 to lead in the Wendy’s Division. Tyler Marsell moved into second place by firing a week-leading 30 and a two-week total of 64. Silas Bailey is in third place with a 34 for a two-round total of 66, and Tyler Ing and Austin Hamond are tied for fourth with cumulative totals of 68. Ing shot a 33 and Hammond a 36. Somi Bright also scored a 36 for a total of 69 through two rounds. All six golfers graduate to the fourth level of instruction. Jillian Williams shot a 33 to move up to level three.
In the Mount Vernon GMC division, there is a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard through two weeks. Evan Palmer moved into a tie for first with a sizzling 26, Cooper Lowe fired a 34 and Leo Bailey shot a 36; all three have 63s through two weeks. Other low scores for the week included Kevin Strouse with the division’s low score of 25, Paxton Strouse with a 27 and Greyson Rutter with a 33.
In the Savage Pools & Patios division, Wyatt Atrip took his first swings at Level 1 play and fired a 26. Colin Fox, playing level 2, shot a 36 to increase his lead on first place with a 64 after two rounds.
Levels for golfers are: Level 1 – putting; Level 2 – 25 yards; Level 3 – 50 yards; Level 4 – 100 yards; Level 5 – 150 yards; Level 6 – 200 yards.
Savage said the focus of the instruction combines golf, life and fun. “We are trying to provide the kids with an experience that is fun but very much goal-oriented. As the players advance through the different levels, they experience a challenge as well as a sense of accomplishment when they are done. Golf is hard, so if you begin to feel a little bit better about yourself when you are finished, you start to want reaching for more. If you don’t quite reach that goal, you come back next week and have another opportunity,” he said.
“We are also focusing on things unrelated to golf," Savage said. "Things that include honesty, learning how to keep score, etiquette and respect for the golf course and other players.”
Savage has been involved in golf since his youth and it still is a major part of his life. “TT and I both grew up with golf playing a major part of our lives. It still is a major part of our lives. I learned how to speak to adults, how to carry myself, how to handle the ups and the downs, and how to compete. If any of those things can rub off on the kids we are working with in Junior League, it’ll be a successful eight weeks. It’s certainly rewarding to see their excitement to be at the golf course on Thursday mornings.”
The Junior League runs every Thursday from 10 a.m. - noon with play ending July 21 and is limited to 30 players (boys and girls) ages 10-18. Instruction focuses on putting and chipping, basic swing mechanics, the rules of golf and on-course play
