Mount Vernon Junior League golf action and instruction completed its fourth week, in the program instructed by Mount Vernon Nazarene University assistant golf coach and former PGA Canada Tour winner TT Crouch, with Mount Vernon High School golf coach Anthony Savage.
As with the previous three sessions, the young student-golfers continued their progress and fired some low scores, with nine golfers advancing to the next levels, led by Griffin Beach, Cooper Lowe and Colin Fox.
The Junior League runs every Thursday from 10 a.m. - noon at the Vernon View Golf Course, 901 Beech St. in Mount Vernon, with play ending July 21 and 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.
Levels for golfers are: Level 1 – putting; Level 2- 25 yards; Level 3 – 50 yards; Level 4 – 100 yards; Level 5 -0 150 yards; Level 6 – 200 yards. To advance levels, the player must shoot a 36 or better. The player who has advanced the furthest after Week 7 will be the champion of their division. If multiple players have advanced to the same level, the player with the lowest score will be deemed the winner. Division sponsors are Wendy’s. Mount Vernon GMC and the Savage Pools & Patios.
“We coaches love coming to Junior League on Thursdays to work with the kids and seeing their growth each week. All the kids show up with a great attitude and excited for the opportunity to play and compete with their friends,” Crouch said.
Level-3 golfer Grayson Workman echoed that sentiment.
“I look forward to Thursday mornings because I get to come and work on my putting stroke. It is a lot of fun for me because I get to spend time with my friends on the course,” Workman said
“We do our best to provide a fun atmosphere and also add an element of competition with our junior league. I get texts from parents all time expressing how much their child wants to go out and practice during the week to get ready for Junior League on Thursdays,” Crouch said.
Savage agrees with the concept of combining golf, life and fun.
“We are trying to provide the kids with an experience that is fun, but very much goal-oriented. We are also focusing on things unrelated to golf. Things that include honesty, learning how to keep score, etiquette and respect for the golf course and other players.”
In the fourth week of golfing competition and lessons, Junior Golf League leaders continued their improvement.
In the Wendy’s Division, Griffin Beach earned his second weekly victory, shooting a 32 in Level 4 play. Austin Hammond fired a 34 (Level 4) and both Tyler Marsell and Tyler Ing shot 35s in Level 4 to lead the week. Tanner Nutter and Ava Parker-Cuervo just missed advancing from Level 3 by shooting 37s. After four weeks, Wendy’s Division overall leaders are Beach – 90, Marsell – 99, Hammond – 102, Ing – 103 and Silas Bailey – 105.
In Mount Vernon GMC Division play, Cooper Lowe has a low score of 32 at Level 3. Also advancing with totals under 36 were Level 2 golfers Justus Shaw (35) and Evan Palmer (36). Narrowly missing advancement from Level 3 was Leo Bailey with a 37. GMC Division leaders after four weeks are Lowe – 95, Palmer – 99, Bailey – 100, Shaw – 104 and Cody Dapprich – 105.
In the Savage Pool & Patios Division for Week 4, Colin Fox moved two levels ahead of competition with a 36 as the only division member on Level 3; he moves up to Level 4. The only other division golfer to advance was Level 1 golfer Alex White, who moved up to Level 2 with a low division round for the week of 35. Leaders among those who have completed three weeks of competition are Fox – 100, Madison Lauthers – 109 and Jaydn Row – 113. Wyatt Atripp, with 65 after two rounds, could move up the leaderboard, as could White and Jett Mezie, who both have carded 73 after two rounds.
“As you can tell by most of the scores, the kids are getting better each week. They are learning the fundamentals to golf and developing the appropriate skills to shoot lower scores,” Crouch said.
