Junior Links
a great opportunity to get youths involved in golf
The re-tooled Chippewa Valley Golf Association Junior Tour is only in its second year, but those involved believe it’s on track for greatness. Which is easy to see given the low price and great courses, practically daring area youths not to give it a try.
“The part of this that I enjoy is taking something and making it the best,” says executive director Bobby Kopp. “This is gonna be one of the best (golf programs) in the United States, because of the composition of it.”
The program divides golfers into four age brackets, 11 and under, 12 to 13, 14 to 15, and 16 to 18. For the younger kids, the goal of the Junior Tour is simply “to have them come out and learn the game,” says Kopp. “They can play nine holes of golf for $7, and they get a sandwich, chips, and a soft drink. There’s no reason that every kid that’s 13 and under doesn’t play in these tournaments.”
“What I’m trying to do is generate tournaments so kids don’t have to travel to Florida or Hudson, Ohio … to have the competition in those tournaments.”
At each tournament, played at more than nine area courses, the tour awards placement medals, and there’s a Player of the Year trophy at the end of the tour. For kids 14 and older, though, the competition gets more intense.
“For the high school kids, they’ll be playing as if they were playing WIAA,” says Kopp. “What I’m trying to do is generate tournaments so kids don’t have to travel to Florida or Hudson, Ohio … to have the competition in those tournaments.”
In these tournaments, players can play individually, as pairs, and as part of a high school team (all with the same score) and earn awards in each category. Unfortunately for high schoolers looking to enter the program this year, registration for golfers ages 14 and up is already full, a result of the staggering demand for Kopp’s new program.
“Before I started they had from 33 to 52 entries,” says Kopp. “I have over 200 registered. I just can’t get any more in.”
For more information on the CVGA Junior Tour, contact 834-8728 or cvgatour@aol.com.
