Kids, teens spend a week golfing at camp

The Canyon Lake Golf and Country Club’s annual Junior Golf Camp helped Canyon Lake youths learn the game and have a really good time this week at the Canyon Lake Country Club and Golf Course. The camp wrapped up today after four days of 75-minute daily sessions of golf instruction for kids ages 5 to 17 years old.

Throughout the camp, participants enjoyed fun kid-friendly competitions, learned fundamental golfing skills, developed a higher level of sportsmanship, received instruction from PGA professionals and created lasting friendships with other junior golfers.

Little Andi Akin, 5, participates in one of the putting drills during her first Canyon Lake Junior Golf Camp Tuesday.Photo by Aprile DeAnne McKinnon

The camp concluded today with a skills event and a free barbecue for participants and their families. Prizes and medals were awarded to each participant.

Among those at the camp were City Council Member Mark Terry’s grandchildren. They enjoyed the day with their grandmother Karen Terry. The Terrys are carrying on the tradition of the golf clinic with their grandchildren. One of the grandchildren’s father, Blake Youngquist, participated in the same golf camp when he was a boy. He fell in love with the sport and ended up excelling in golf at the high school level.

City Council Member Mark Terry’s grandson Orion Paul Youngquist, 5, lines up his putt during the Canyon Lake Junior Golf Camp. Orion’s dad Blake Youngquist participated in the camp when he was a child. Photo by Aprile DeAnne McKinnon

The camp, which was open to the general public, provided a safe place for the children to learn the rules, etiquette and fundamentals of golf.

“Whether your junior is swinging the club for the first time or looking to refine their skills, the Junior Golf Camp is a fun way for kids to develop a lifelong skill in the game of golf,” Canyon Lake POA organizers said. “They not only had a blast, but also developed invaluable skills that will last a lifetime.”

The golf camp consisted of 75-minute sessions each of the four days and began at 8:00 a.m. each morning. The barbecue awards lunch took place this afternoon.