Golfers in the making began their journey at the Uncle Remus Golf course over the last three weeks.
The Eatonton Elks Lodge 2549 Junior Golf Clinic ran May 31 to June 13, teaching 6-year-olds through 12-yearolds how to drive, chip and putt, while also coaching them on the sport’s etiquette.
“The kids have definitely enjoyed it and you can see which of them have grown into little golfers,” said Angela Eatonton, Elks Lodge member.
Hosted over the course of three weeks on Tuesdays when the Uncle Remus Golf Course is closed to the public, the Junior Golf Clinic was open to community members from Putnam and surrounding counties.
“We advocate the clinic as a group event, but during the day we break up into three groups and have about 12 instructors that work with the kids,” said Tim Moore, event coordinator. “And on their last day they get to play three holes of golf to put all that practice in.”
The golf clinic has been a community event that the Eatonton Elks Lodge has hosted for many years, with Moore acting as coordinator and leader for about five years. According to Moore, COVID impacted the number of children who attended the golf clinic this year, but the enjoyment levels for the children remained very high.
“I made the perfect putt. Watch everybody!” Coalson Hayes shouted to the instructors and other young golfers during their practice session on the last day. When asked about the experience, all the kids expressed it was either “awesome” or “super fun.”
During the golf clinic, participants also were able to enter a raffle to win their own set of golf clubs. The drawing was held June 13, with Bo Wooten winning the clubs, presented by Elks Lodge member Nick Schroeder. “I feel like this is the Elks Lodge’s way
“I feel like this is the Elks Lodge’s way of paying back the community and it is what I enjoy doing the most,” said Moore. “I’m involved in other community event planning, too, but this golf planning seems to be the number-one event.”
While this year’s Junior Golf Clinic came to a close, the memories for these young golfers will last long past this summer and the Eatonton Elks Lodge looks forward to hosting it again.