Fore + Eight = Golf at EECM Summer Day Camp

Written by: Tim Brown, Community Relations Coordinator

EECM’s Summer Day Camp is in full swing. The pun is completely intentional. For the first time ever, some of EECM’s Day Campers are participating in The First Tee Program at Bob O’Connor Golf Course at Schenley Park. For many of them, this is the first time that they have ever been on a golf course and picked up a golf club, excluding the occasional video game. When standing on the first tee at the course, Kayan asked, “Are all golf courses this nice?”

The mission of The First Tee is to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. This is done through promoting Nine Core Values: Honesty, Integrity, Sportsmanship, Respect, Confidence, Responsibility, Perseverance, Courtesy and Judgment.

The eight EECM golfers are getting personalized instruction because of the small size of the group. Marc Field (Executive Director), Eric Amato (Director of Golf and Instruction), and Shane Rice (PGA Teaching Professional) are there each step of the way in the program along with EECM Staff Richard Payne and Cedrice Biggs.

The instructors are impressed with how interested, attentive and willing to take instruction the golfers are in each exercise and session. Marc Field said, “This is one of the most courteous and respectful group of kids we have ever had, not only to us while we teach, but to each other as well.”

The kids are learning the fundamentals of the game. Last week's session focused on the shots needed around the green: Lob, Chip, Pitch and Putt. They rotated from station to station learning how to hit the various shots. While Carmine and Jerome worked on the pitch shots, DR practiced his lob shot and almost hit me twice in a row from about 20 yards away. He looked at me and started laughing. He followed that with, “I’m sorry. It was supposed to go the other way!”

As the session ended, Eric asked the group if they knew how to get better. Anthony exclaimed, “Practice, practice, practice!”