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 Jonathan, Jennifer & Kay Wardlaw Photo by GM Pinkston |
Ray and Linda Wardlaw have all three of their children involved in the valley's Desert Junior Golf program. Jonathan, twelve, Kay, eleven and Jennifer, seven play other sports, too, but their parents especially like having them associated with golf.
"In Desert Junior golf they don't just learn a great sport they can play for the rest of their lives," says Ray. "They also learn the ethics and disciplines that are an integral part of the game. And as an ex tennis instructor I know how important it is to learn the fundamentals of a game early on so you don't have to unlearn bad habits later."
The DJG tournament program provides children the opportunity to play up to 30 tourneys a season on some of the best courses in the valley for only $15 to $25 each. The cost includes lunch, drinks on the course and trophies. The program's clinics provide excellent instruction from some of the valley's best teaching professionals for only $25 a month. Clubs for beginning kids can be borrowed from the hundreds donated to DJG and, when the kids are ready, professionally fitted clubs can be purchased through DJG for only five bucks apiece. So parents have lots of good reasons for getting their children involved in Desert Junior Golf, but how do kids see the program?
The Wardlaw family's Involvement in DJG began with their middle girl, Kay, and if you met her you would understand why. Kay has a brightness and intensity about her typical of people who manage to succeed at whatever they attempt.
"When I was six a girlfriend and me tried out the LPGA Jr. Golf program. She dropped out but I really liked it because I could hit the ball up in the air. But they only took girls, so when my older brother Jonathan wanted to try it we switched over to this program (DJG) because they take boys and girls, both."
"I like to hit the ball hard," Kay adds, "I can hit it farther than some of the boys in my age group. And I like the tournaments because they're competitive--I like to go for the gold."
Older brother Jonathan is more laid-back about it: "I like golf because it's not as physical as some other sports. You don't have to run around all over the place and there's no physical contact. It's based on skill. And I like playing in tournaments because you're on your own then. When we're practicing someone is always telling you what club to hit and how to play. In tournaments it's better because they're not allowed to tell you what to do so you have to make those decisions yourself. It's fun because when we're playing tournaments we get to socialize with the other golfers, too. They're usually from other schools and so we get to meet new people. And we don't talk about golf when we're playing, we just talk about regular stuff."
Kay has similar feelings about DJG's no-advice rule during tournaments: "I get to think for myself. If I don't know the distance then I just have to figure it out. But no, I don't think it's unfair. I like it that way."
Jennifer, now seven, has been tagging along to the driving range with her older siblings since she was three and entered the DJG program as soon as she was eligible (five). Her outlook on the game is purely pragmatic from a kid's point of view. When asked why she likes golf Jennifer replies, "Cause it's fun." On practicing vs. playing she says, "I like practicing better." The reason turns out to be that when practicing at the driving range she doesn't have to lug around her bag, she just gets to hit balls. "I like that," she beams.
What Jennifer doesn't say, but is obvious from watching the three children together, is that being in Desert Junior Golf lets her hang out with her big sister and big brother and do the same thing they're doing--pretty important when you're seven.
© Gary M. Pinkston, 1999.
