Junior golf taking flight for summer

With the skies becoming sunny as I write this column, thoughts of the

golf course fill my head.

Now that summer has officially made itself known, what better time

to turn attention to junior golf.

The children are out of school and can turn their interest to

filling time with golf camps offered by Newport-Mesa’s three public

courses.

Newport Beach Golf Course offers three levels of clinics given by

Kevin Wilhelm, a PGA apprentice. Level one is for the beginning

golfer from ages 5 1/2 and older and focuses on stance, set up,

etiquette and aiming. Dates for this level will be July 15-17 from 9

a.m. to noon and again Aug. 5-7 at the same time. The three-day camp

costs $145, which includes range balls.

Level two is for intermediate golfers ages 7 and older. The camp

runs July 22-24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and again Aug. 12-14 from 9

a.m. to noon. Class size is limited and $225 includes a nine-hole

scramble on the final day of each session.

Those players who have completed level two or have an established

United States Golf Association handicap are eligible to compete in

level three, which concentrates on refining the player’s game through

practice drills and individual attention daily after lunch. Class

size is also limited and the camp costs $245, which includes playing

on the course each day along with a nine-hole playing lesson the

first two days. The session will run Aug. 19-12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Student-to-teacher ratio is expected to be 6- or 7-to-1.

Those interested can contact head professional John Leonard at

(949) 852-8689.

Costa Mesa Golf & Country Club’s summer program is geared toward

beginning and intermediate golfers, who will receive instruction on

set up, grip, swing fundamentals, chipping, pitching, sand play,

putting and knowledge of the rules, etiquette and golf vocabulary.

Four sessions given by head professional Doug Booth will run the

following dates: June 24-27, July 8-11, July 22-25 and Aug. 5-8.

Beginners will receive instruction from 8:45 to 9:45 a.m. while more

advanced golfers will play from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., except Fridays.

Cost per session is $95.

For more information and to obtain an entry form, contact Booth at

(714) 540-7500, ext. 151.

Pelican Hill Golf Club has limited room for its camps, which

feature two levels of instruction. There are still openings for

level-one camps the week of July 14-17, Aug. 4-7 and Aug. 18-24.

Level two focuses on more in-depth attention to the fundamentals,

with players’ being able to record their swings using a video camera

for later analysis.

Limited spots are available for level-two camps the weeks of July

21-24 and Aug. 11-14.

Each session costs $275.

*

Santa Ana Country Club’s final four for its men’s club

championship is set.

In match play last weekend, Gregg Hemphill, the two-time defending

champion, defeated John Gilchrist, 2 up, while Boyd Martin, a

five-time winner, bettered Duane Hastings, 3 and 2. Matt Smith

defeated Chris Veitch, 3 and 2, while Bill Welch beat Dave Leahnertz,

2 and 1.

Hemphill and Martin will square off in one 18-hole semifinal when

play begins Friday at 11:30 a.m. with Smith facing Welch in the other

match.

Friday’s winners will advance to face each other in the 36-hole

final Saturday, beginning at 7:30 a.m.

The men’s club champion from Santa Ana CC will join Big Canyon’s

Will Tipton, Mesa Verde Country Club’s Steve Rhorer and Newport Beach

Country Club’s Jeff Bloom as title-holders from courses in this

newspaper’s circulation. All four amateur club champions (or another

dues-paying member), along with a full-time staff member from each

venue, are invited to play in the fourth annual Jones Cup, scheduled

Aug. 1 at Mesa Verde. The Jones Cup features a better-ball of

partners format with two foursomes teeing off back-to-back.

Paul Hahn, head professional at NBCC, said Tuesday that Bruce

Bearer will join him in the Jones Cup instead of Bloom, who will be

on vacation.