Junior players attending the Golf SA junior holiday clinics have received an extra bonus this week in the form of direct membership to Golf Australia&aposs recently launched MyGolf national junior framework program. The 22 youngsters attending the four-day clinic at North Adelaide Golf Course are the first junior players in South Australia to be registered under the MyGolf program, with the $33 program registration fee being included in each players clinic fees. A particular feature of the clinic program has been the introduction of the eagerly anticipated MYGolf Skills Challenge exercises. Golf SA Development coach Allan Telford, who oversaw the junior clinics with assistance from Adelaide PGA professionals Adrian Whickstein, Simon Macwhirter, Mark Robinson and North Adelaide&aposs Chris Crocker, said he was delighted with the response from the juniors towards the skills challenge component. “The Skills Challenges proved to be extremely popular with the kids, who have really seemed to engage with the concept,” said Telford. “We were amazed to see some of the kids executing some fairly difficult shots which to be quite honest a lot of older and more experienced golfers would have struggled with. “The kids have no fear when they are learning the game and the range of Skills Challenges that comes with the MyGolf program seems to really capture and focus their attention,” he said. Based on the successful V-Golf formula operated throughout Victoria by the former Victorian Golf Union (now Golf Victoria), Golf Australia&aposs MyGolf Skills Challenge component lets young players progress through three stages of challenges (Bronze, Silver and Gold) in the areas of iron and driver play (Rip It), putting (Roll It), chipping (Chip It) and bunker play (Fly It). “Once these kids have progressed through to level 5 in Gold I&aposd expect them to be fairly proficient players,” said Telford. “As a starting point however, the Bronze level skills is an excellent way to get kids practicing some solid rudimentary techniques which will serve them well as they get older.” Run for the first time this summer, the Golf SA school holiday junior clinics look set to become a regular fixture on the organisation&aposs development calendar, with the next set of clinics due to be scheduled for the Easter holiday period at North Adelaide Golf Course who have signed up to be an accredited MyGolf centre. The four day clinic has featured a range of general coaching activities leading up to the MyGolf Skills Challenge, and culminated in a six-hole on course competition for all participants. For more information on the MyGolf Skills Challenge and how clubs can register for the program, click here for the MyGolf website.
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