The gym at Ecole Harbour Landing School was transformed for one night into a junior golf club for a new program that teaches kids how to golf.
Paul Schatz with the Tor Hill Golf Course started teaching family night golfing schools as a way to get children interested in the sport.
“With any sport, learning and developing the actual skills is more through fun and getting out and doing it,” said Schatz, who is also the president of the Regina Junior Golf Club.
The free nightly program offered at some public schools in Regina is available to students from kindergarten through to Grade 8.
The kids are given lessons on putting, chipping, pitching and weight transfer.
David Callandar brought his two girls to the session as a way to introduce them to the sport.
“I’m keen to get my daughters into playing golf because I love the sport,” Callander said. “Brooke Henderson is a big star in Canada. I’d like them to become big stars too.”
Although some of the kids have never picked up a club before, many already know what makes the perfect shot.
“You need focus to determine how long you need to shoot it and which way you should shoot it,” said one participant.
Schatz said the response has been overwhelming with more than 60 kids attending the inaugural sessions.
“Watching kids exceed at anything brings out sheer enjoyment,” Schatz said. “As a teacher, there’s nothing better than seeing a kid with a big smile on their face when they hit a really good shot.”
Organizers hope to offer more sessions next spring.