Junior event schedules are on the grow

The golf boom hit several years ago.

Now golf's baby boom is taking over.

If local youth golfers want to take their game more seriously, they don't have to look far. Junior golf tournaments are on the increase around the country, including Southeast Missouri, and the march is highly organized.

"When I was a junior there were hardly any events," Gateway PGA Junior Series director Jack Connell said. "Now juniors can play four or five days a week."

The Gateway series is trying to feed the growing hunger. It held its first clinic Monday at Bent Creek Golf Course in Jackson, Mo., one of three clinics and eight tournaments during its second season. Bent Creek will host one of the series' tournaments June 27 and Cape Girardeau Country Club will host it July 1.

The series, for boys and girls ages 10-18, keeps player standings that will determine qualifiers for a season-ending tournament. Players can join the entire series -- all clinics and tournaments included -- for $100 (18 holes) or $60 (nine holes). The series' next clinic is Tuesday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Bootheel Golf Club in Sikeston, Mo.

Tournaments begin June 14 at Westwood Hills Country Club in Poplar Bluff, Mo., and conclude July 22 at the soon-to-open Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau. For information, contact Connell at 450-4151.

The series is one of several available to youth golfers in the area.

The Tri-State Junior Golf Tour has launched its maiden season with a 10-tournament schedule in Kentucky, Missouri and Illinois. The Tour will visit Cape Girardeau Country Club on June 17 and Bootheel Golf Club and Sikeston Country Club on successive days -- June 12 and 13. The tour, which began Monday, is for boys 12-18 and girls 14-18. The tour has a $60 membership and cost of $40 (18 holes) or $30 (nine holes) for each event.

There's also the expanding junior program of the Missouri Golf Association. The second Missouri Junior Match Play Championship, a four-day event, is in progress in Rolla, Mo., and the 19th Missouri Junior Amateur Championship will be July 9-10 in Pleasant Hill, Mo.

Bent Creek will be the host of the 3rd Missouri Junior Match Play Championship in 2003.

Bent Creek will also host a Hieronymus Junior Series event July 15, one of six tournament sites for the growing summer tour. The Hieronymus Junior Series, sponsored by the Missouri Golf Association, is in its fourth year. It holds both a clinic and tournament at each stop.

The Hieronymus Junior Series will also visit the Ozark Ridge Golf Course in Poplar Bluff, Mo., on June 28. The series is open to boys ages 9-16 and the events are reasonably priced at $15, which includes tournament, clinic, rules book, hat, lunch and trophies. For information, call the MGA office at 636-8994.

Aces are wild

A rare feat didn't appear so elusive this past week for five golfers who made holes in one. Two were career firsts by Cape Girardeau women on consecutive days on No. 12 at Kimbeland Country Club in Jackson.

Kathy Ackman of Cape Girardeau made her first career hole in one on No. 12 during Kimbeland's Friday Night Couples League. She hit an 8-iron from 90 yards. Witnesses were Clarence Ackman, Leon Calvin and Carole Calvin. Ackman has been golfing for 30 years.

Mary Rose James of Cape Girardeau aced the hole the following day. James achieved the feat with a 9-iron while playing with Connie Nesslein and Mary Kay Welker.

Tom Owens of Cape Girardeau recorded his second career hole in one and the second ever at Dalhousie Golf Club on Saturday.

Owens used a 5-iron to ace No. 5, a 180-yard par 3. Witnesses to the shot were Pat Godwin and Rick Miller.

Gene McCalister of Cape Girardeau carded an ace at Cape Girardeau Country Club last week.

McCalister used a 9-iron on No. 11, a par 3 playing 105 yards. Walter Ford, Robert Hemperly, Lynn VanMatre and Earl Foster witnessed the shot.

Johnson is medalist

Barb Johnson was medalist at the Ladies' Golf Association event Thursday at Kimbeland.

Play of the Day was 'low putts.' Winners were Vicki Long (championship), Dorothy Holland (A), Jo Ellen Haas (B) and Connie Nesslein (C).

Williams tops Chip-A-Ways

Linda Williams was the 'A' flight winner at the Chip-A-Ways' outing last week at Cape Jaycee Municipal Golf Course, while Jan Weinhold placed first in 'B' flight. Sharon Dow won play of the day -- 'closest to the pin on No. 3' -- and Deanna Peterman posted the low-putt total.

Rendlemans victorious

Darryl and Brenda Rendleman posted a two-stroke victory in the championship flight in the Cape Girardeau Country Club's Braves and Squaws Tournament. The couple finished the two-day scramble with a 128 total as three teams tied for second.

Other flight winners were Gary and Traser Benedict (136, A flight) and Hank and Pam Klenke (144, B flight).