Children from Foundation for Youth listen to Columbus North graduate and Xavier golfer Nathaly Munnicha explain how to putt during a junior golf clinic featured as part of the AJGA Circle K Junior Championship at Otter Creek Golf Course in Columbus, Ind., Monday, June 27, 2022.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Some of the 154 kids who took part in Monday afternoon’s Junior Golf Clinic at Otter Creek has some prior golfing experience.
A vast majority of them did not.
So for about 45 minutes, each of two waves of kids had a chance to learn the game from some of the best and most experienced golfers in Columbus as part of this week’s American Junior Golf Association Circle K Junior Championship Hosted By Otter Creek.
“I think a lot of them have never actually played golf, so just telling them the basics and just trying to teach them what a hole is, what a tee shot is, what a drive, putting, chipping, just some of the basics, and hopefully, a few of them maybe find that they actually enjoy it,” said Natahly Munnicha, a former All-State golfer at Columbus North who recently finished her freshman year at Xavier.
Columbus North gradaute and Xavier golfer Nathaly Munnicha, left, shows Wyatt Rarey how to hold a putter during a junior golf clinic featured as part of the AJGA Circle K Junior Championship at Otter Creek Golf Course in Columbus, Ind., Monday, June 27, 2022.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Munnicha served as one of six instructors for the event, joining Otter Creek pro Tim Davis, Harrison Lake Country Club pro Austin Wright, Harrison Lake teaching pro Nodjya Cook, current North golfer Erin Hopkins and veteran basketball coach Brad Hamilton.
“I started as a junior, and especially being a female pro, you don’t see a lot of female golfers out there, so if I can influence one, that is good,” Cook said. “I think the kids had fun. You could tell some were exposed and some weren’t to the game of golf, and I think the ones that weren’t, they left with a beam of smile on their face. The kids really got a good eye-opener to the game of golf.”
Most of the kids who took part in Monday’s camp came on two busloads from Foundation For Youth.
Harrison Lake Country Club teaching pro Nodjya Cook demonstrates how to hit a tee shot during a junior golf clinic featured as part of the AJGA Circle K Junior Championship at Otter Creek Golf Course in Columbus, Ind., Monday, June 27, 2022.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
“A lot of the kids had some golf background,” Cook said. “Some of them didn’t. The main thing was just to expose them to the game of golf, whether they go back to the Boys and Girls Club and get into S.N.A.G. (The First Tee’s ‘Starting New At Golf’ program), or they start playing junior tournaments. More than anything, we wanted to teach them some life skills that relate to the game of golf.”
There were two sessions — the first for younger kids and the second for older kids. In each session were three groups of about 25 to 30 kids who rotated between three stations — driving, chipping and putting.
Harrison Lake Country Club golf pro Austin Wright talks about using a driver during a junior golf clinic featured as part of the AJGA Circle K Junior Championship at Otter Creek Golf Course in Columbus, Ind., Monday, June 27, 2022.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
“There are different types of golfing, and you use a different club each hit,” said Casey Mantsch, who will be a fourth-grader at Southside Elementary.
“I learned the stance and how to hit the ball with the golf club,” added Malachi Hurley, who will be a third-grader at Taylorsville Elementary. “I knew a little bit, but at least I hit the ball farther.”
Cook is a former Golf Professional of the Year and a three-time Teacher of the Year for The Tri-Cities Chapter in East Tennessee. She qualified for the US Senior Women’s Open in 2019.
“I like to teach with the alphabet when it comes to my students,” Cook said. “You set up in a Letter Y position, then your swing gets into a Letter L. The stance is the letter K. Then, we taught them to swing like an elephant trunk. Then, we showed them how to grip. We showed them not only golf safety, but golf etiquette and rules. We told them what the difference between woods and irons and a putter were.”
Otter Creek golf pro Tim Davis, left, shows Ariana Chavez how to use a putter during a junior golf clinic featured as part of the AJGA Circle K Junior Championship at Otter Creek Golf Course in Columbus, Ind., Monday, June 27, 2022.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
The kids at Monday’s clinic took notice.
“I learned to keep the line straight when you’re hitting,” said Sofia Chavez Hernandez, who will be a second-grader at Clifty Creek Elementary.
“We hoped to not pull the grass,” said Kylin Kiel, who will be a fourth-grader at CSA-Fodrea Elementary. “It was fun and interesting.”
Brayden Falor, who will be a fourth-grader at Schmitt Elementary, learned about the stance and how to grip the club and what kind of grass is used on the greens, fringe and fairways.
“I liked it,” said Mady Perdue, who will be a fourth-grader at Mt. Healthy Elementary. “My favorite part was when I just hit because it was my first time hitting with that kind of club. The only time I’ve ever golfed was putt-putt, so it was a lot of fun.”
Children from Foundation for Youth take part in a junior golf clinic featured as part of the AJGA Circle K Junior Championship at Otter Creek Golf Course in Columbus, Ind., Monday, June 27, 2022.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
