A way of life

PALMER — For about three hours Thursday, more than 100 children had the chance to take a swing at the game of golf. But it was more than an introduction to the game, but to golf as a way of life.

“It’s a lifelong game. Not only can they learn to play golf, but learn how to conduct themselves,” said Billy Bomar, one of 18 golf professionals who volunteered their time during the Friends of Palmer Golf Course Kids’ Day at Palmer Golf Course.

Children ages 6-17 took turns at the driving range and the putting green, learning basic skills of the game they could translate to an 18-hole day on the course.

But coaches also focused on the intangibles of the sport.

“The main thing is golf teaches the kids the core values: honesty, integrity, fair play and community,” said Palmer Golf Course director of golf George Collum. “We stress to them that golf’s all about fair play. It’s one of the only sports where you monitor yourself, call penalties on yourself. There’s no other sport that I know of that you call penalties on yourself.”

Bomar, the executive director of the Alaska chapter of First Tee, said the sport of golf presents an opportunity to teach kids lessons that parallel the game and core values.

First Tee uses golf to teach life skills, Bomar said, and that’s an approach golf pros took with their students on Thursday.

“How do you show respect out here today? Listening to the coaches who were out here. They took turns — respected each other. Respect the golf course,” Bomar said. “It’s going to help them in school, get a job.”

But it’s also a chance to present children with an activity they might have not ever participated in otherwise.

“Most kids I’ve worked with have never been to a golf course,” Bomar said. “If they come out here, have a good time and learn a little bit, they’ll want to come back.”

Collum said the Friends of Palmer Golf Course helped spearhead the move to create the kids event.

“Their mission is to grow the game of golf through youth programs,” Collum said of the local nonprofit organization.

The kids’ event also preceded the annual Palmer Golf Course Invitation, which starts today at Palmer Golf Course.

“We tied it together,” Collum said.

With the professionals in town for the event, which puts a pro with three amateurs on a team for a three-day tourney, Collum said it made sense to take advantage of the abundance of expertise to teach local youth.

The kids in attendance were broken down into groups of about five, and each group was matched with a pro.

“We showed them the basic fundamentals,” Collum said. “How to hold the club, set up for a shot, swing.”

Collum said the pros also stressed safety.

But more importantly, Collum said a goal is to give kids today an alternative.

“We want to get kids out and active again,” Collum said. “A lot of kids are just staying at home playing video games now-a-days.”

Collum said the number of golfers active in the sport has been in a decline worldwide.

“There are less golfers out there than there used to be and the only way to change that is to get a kid involved with golf,” Collum said.

While Matanuska Telephone Association and Alaska Sheet Metal helped make the first Kids Day event possible, thanks to their financial contributions, the Alaska Golf Association was also on hand to show its support of the event.

Part of AGA’s mission, is to introduce the sport of golf to use. AGA marketing and tournaments director Jeff Barnhart said it’s key to host events such as Kids Day, to bring youth to the game.

“If you don’t have somebody pull you to the golf course and make it available, most kids won’t get exposed to it,” Barnhart said.

Barnhart’s daughter Kenzie participated in the event and quickly noted the other reason to attend the course’s kids’ day.

“Watching the tricks,” the 9-year-old said.

A group of golf pros staged a variety of tricks at the driving range to cap the day.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.