Lead pro hoping to kick off junior program at Shelburne Golf & Country Club on May 1

Written By BRIAN LOCKHART

“You could be playing the course right now,” said Sam Young, head pro at the Shelburne Golf and Country Club. “The golf course is really in good shape. This is probably the best I've ever seen it at this time of year.”

Ground crews at the Club are currently cleaning up the fairways and picking up debris left over from the winter, but once the fallen twigs and leaves are cleared it will be back in pristine shape.

While the club is currently not open due to the COVID-19 closure, Sam is gearing up for a mid spring start to junior golfer training.

Sam and the Club are well known across the country for the junior golf program which has turned out some high level golfers.

Sam recently took his group of advanced juniors for a yearly trip to North Carolina. He takes a group there every year to play on some prestigious courses while it's still to early in the season here.

Fortunately, the trip took place prior to public knowledge of the current situation and before any travel bans were in effect.

“We're hoping to start this year's junior program on May 1. That's as long as things go well,” Sam said. “We've been working all winter. The juniors were working in the club house and at a place called Peak Performance down at Vaughan Mills.”

Peak Performance is an indoor golf training facility.

The junior program helps novice golfers learn the game and helps more advanced golfers to improve their skills and techniques.

“I teach them the fundamentals, and when they have that down-pat, we develop a good swing and get more into the playing aspect, the mental aspect, and good nutrition,” Sam explained. “We've started a program for three to five year-olds.”

The really young players seem to pick-up the sport rather easily and enjoy learning how to hit the ball and they also enjoy being outdoors.

“The sport is starting to pick up traction again because of players like Brooke Henderson,” Sam said.

Brooke Henderson is a Canadian professional golfer on the LPGA tour. She played at the Shelburne club as a junior.

“It's a life long sport that you can play by yourself or with a group. Unlike other sports (that are more team oriented), with golf, you hit the ball yourself every time.”

It will now be waiting game for the next few weeks to see when sanctions will be lifted and junior golfers can head out onto the links to start their spring training.