“ He provided a way for the [ recipients ] to have golf clubs and a bag , gloves and shoes and an outfit they can pick out to wear . He also provided lessons [ at Holston Hills and Saltville Golf Course ] to get them started . That comes close to $ 1,000 per student ,” said Lynda Helton , executive director of the SCCF . “ They must commit to play on the high school golf team . If they don ’ t want to do that , they forego the scholarship .”
The scholarship application form is on the SCCF website . Applications for this year ’ s awards closed April 1 . Students from all four high school grade levels are eligible . The first six recipients announced last spring included students in of each class . Senior Lakyn Austin competed for the Chilhowie High golf team that qualified for the Virginia High School League Class 1 state tournament last fall .
“ I told the girls when we presented their golf clubs and clothes – we bought them from the Holston Hills pro shop and they are high quality — now you all are not going to be playing right away like the LPGA players , but you are going to look like them ,” Leslie said .
In addition to the Leslie scholarships , Operation 36 , a national junior golf program , has been established at Holston Hills . Two sessions held last spring drew 33 participants .
THE HOMESTEAD Mark Fry , director of golf at The Omni Homestead Resort , has fond memories of playing golf at Bath County High School with Barry Ryder , head PGA professional at The Homestead .
As members of the team , they had the opportunity to play at The
Homestead and have full privileges . These days , there are only two students on the golf team . “ The kids aren ’ t getting involved . I know this generation of kids is more involved with cell phones and video games than they are with outdoor sports like when we grew up ,” Fry said .
Enter the Challenge in the Mountains golf group founded by Homestead member Arlene Christenbury .
Christenbury ’ s group of about 100 players donates to a local charity every year . One year they donated to the volunteer fire department in Fry ’ s and Ryder ’ s names . The next year Christenbury asked Fry for a recipient suggestion .
Fry proposed starting a Junior Academy . Christenbury agreed to make the initial donation .
“ Once she did that , the Homestead members in the group really got on board ,” Fry said .
Josh Apple works primarily at Virginia Golf Center in Clifton , part of the Raspberry Golf Academy group .
Getting kids into the sport of golf has become easier than ever in 2024 . There have always been barriers to entering the sport , such as time , cost , difficulty and access , but we now have more options available to break through those barriers .
With more kids being exposed to the sport through these programs and easier access to equipment , some of these kids become more advanced and want higher level options . In 2024 there are more junior tournament options than ever before .
We have all these options , and we are just one facility . As long as facilities like ours maintain these initiatives , then we will continue heading in the right direction .
With the support and donations from the women ’ s group , Homestead Club members , private donors , Mark Spadoni of Omni Resorts and the golf professional staff at The Homestead , the Virginia Highlands Youth Golf Academy became a reality .
The Homestead got involved with an annual outing that has raised enough money for a scholarship program that will present its first award to one of the high school seniors this spring . The scholarship is named for Virginia Golf Hall of Fame member J . C . Snead .
Fry would like to present $ 20,000 worth of scholarships each year in the future .
“ I want to establish something so when I ’ m [ done ], there will still be funds there to support junior golf ,” he said .
The first-year Academy conducted three clinic sessions that attracted 36 youngsters last summer .
“ The majority of them were under 12 so that ’ s the roots ,” Fry said . “ I had to get some of these little kids started . A lot of young ones are starting to get interested . Hopefully that ’ s the future . It ’ s been fun seeing the little kids come out .”
The Highlands Youth Golf Academy at The Homestead Resort .
HIGHLANDS YOUTH GOLF ACADEMY vsga . org M AY / J UNE 2024 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 29