Junior Golf lessons wrap up with fun scramble

Published 11:00 am Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Grant County Junior Golf coach Ron Lundbom wrapped up weeks of lessons at the John Day Golf Club with a two-day scramble — a chance for the kids to try out their newfound skills.

This year’s group included 15 youths, and 14 of them were ages 12 and younger.

Lunbom said he likes to focus on the basics.

“All I want is for them to have fun and not feel rushed,” he said.

He said the young group started off slightly ambivalent — several are baseball players — but ended up enjoying the sport enough that several asked “When can we do this again?”

The kids he thought would be the hardest to convince that golfing is fun were the ones most eager to continue playing, he added.

Silas Fansler, 9, didn’t need any convincing. This was his third year taking the lessons from Lundbom.

Fansler said he enjoys the feeling when he hits the ball.

“I’ve improved on chipping short distances on the green,” he said.

Sawyer Quinton, 11, who’s been in Junior Golf for two years, said this was his fourth year playing the sport.

“I’ve improved my stance and swing,” he said.

Riley Gregg, 12, said he was glad he took the lessons.

“I learned how to golf,” he said. “I’d never hit a ball before — it’s fun.”

The youths were out on the course Thursday, July 18, finishing up a two-day golf scramble.

Enjoying her first year taking the lessons, Allison Fansler, 7, was competing in the scramble on the final day and said “I’m just having fun with golf.”

The event ended with an ice cream party at the clubhouse.

Assistants for Lundbom this year were Yazzie Voigt and Mitch Saul.