Young golfers hit low flight golf balls at inflatable targets during a First Tee clinic at Otter Creek Golf Course in Columbus, Ind., Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
On a sweltering afternoon in which temperatures reached the 90s, 6-year-old Piper Rice gave an honest assessment of her favorite part about Tuesday’s The First Tee golf clinic at Otter Creek.
“I like the water balloons,” she said.
Her brother Parker Rice, 8, had a little more golf-oriented favorite. It was the “GolfZilla,” an inflatable with a huge mouth that kids tried to chip golf balls into.
The Rices were among about 80 kids, most of which ranged from 5-to-10 years old, who took part on the clinic, which was held in conjunction with this weekend’s Epson Tour Otter Creek Championship. They took turns trying to chip into plastic swimming pools, hitting into the inflatables and putting fuzzy tennis balls toward a target.
“I like the putting because it’s easier than anything else at golf,” said Sophia Mensendiek, 9.
Nodjya Cook, The First Tee director for Harrison Lake Country Club and Otter Creek, organized the event, with the help of Jim Warner, director of operations for First Tee Indiana.
“With the Epson Tour Otter Creek Championship in town, we decided that we wanted to offer to the community something,” Cook said. “We called it First Tee Tuesday to bring the kids in, bring awareness to what we do. What we love to do is teach golf and bring awareness to the community of what we have to offer for The First Tee. It’s the special interaction and engagement with the tour professionals. It’s all about the next generation and inspiring them to have a little bit more self-identity and confidence.”
“It’s definitely a fun thing for the kids to do, and it’s definitely unique, given the professional involvement,” Warner added. “I think they have some really nice, fun activities set up for them to play around with before they hear from the professionals.”
During the final 45 minutes of the two-hour clinic, three Epson Tour pros who will be playing in this weekend’s tournament — Jenny Napat Lertsadwattana, Lauren Peter and Megan Schofill — gave a clinic on the range.
Schofill, a Monticello, Florida, native who played at Auburn and is a rookie on Epson Tour, had worked at a First Tee clinic in Augusta, Georgia, and helps with the junior golf program at her home course in Thomasville, Georgia.
“I helped at one First Tee event, and it was really fun,” Schofill said. “All the kids had a great time. It’s always good to give back. You never know who you’re going to make an impact on or how these kids are going to make an impact on you. It kind of brings you back to what the sport is all about, making lifelong connections, teaching people the fundamentals of life and just really enjoying yourself.”
