Junior players get a taste of Ryder Cup experience
The upcoming Ryder Cup is more than just a world class tournament featuring top professionals from USA and Europe. It is much more than that. The junior players of USA will also get to experience it in some way.
There are loads of junior events in which players will participate. This will not only help the sport grow in America but it will also train young golfers on the lines of the Ryder Cup.
Medinah Country Club, the place where the real battle will takes place, will host some of the events.
A junior golf championship league started last year and it is affiliated with the PGA of America. There are numerous teams which go head to head with each other.
This not only trains young golfers but they also get to experience real match play atmosphere.
“Last year there were 16 teams in the nation. This year there were 127,” said Dennis Johnsen, head pro at Pine Meadow and captain of the Chicago team in the finals. “It’s an incredible program”.
The program has been a major success, with the awareness now growing, it is expected that more teams will be joining in the league.
The Chicago team will be heading to Illinois to witness the real showdown between top golfers.
The Illinois section of PGA has been busy in conducting Ryder Cup Youth Skills Challenge. This program will conclude on 22nd September.
There were over 57 competitions in that program. More than 3000 participants took part in that event, who were mostly in their early teens.
Around 500 golfers were selected for the regionals, which were held at Oak Brook, Pine Meadow, Cog Hill and Cantigny.
“It has been an overwhelming success,” said Michael Miller, IPGA executive director. “The event has truly allowed the community to embrace the enthusiasm and excitement of having the Ryder Cup in our backyard”.
Those players who made it to the final are given free admission to the Ryder Cup first week. It is a nice incentive for the golfers, as they will learn a great deal from the pros.
However, the biggest event for the juniors will be the Junior Ryder Cup, which will be held on 24-25 September.
Tags: