The Big Fish Golf Club will be holding an Annual Junior Golf Clinic for youths from 6 to 17 years of age throughout the month of June and July. The clinic will take place every Friday morning from 10 am to 11:30.
Golf Director, Joe Taylor, will be instructing the youth. He said the clinic was held last year and was a huge success.
“However, we are making a few changes this year so that each child can experience the same amount of instruction time regardless of the age,” Taylor explained. “With more instruction focused on their particular skill level and age.”
The clinic is free and open to any youth in the community who wished to participate. The age levels for each class are 6 to 8, 9 to 12 and 13 to 17.
Taylor said parents may also volunteer to assist the clinic. The clinic will be held Friday mornings June 4, 11, 18, 25, July 9 and 16.
"There is no limit for the amount of participants. Any child willing to learn the game of golf is certainly welcome at no cost. Lunch will be provided after each daily session," Taylor explained.
This is the third year of the clinic and Taylor stated there are already over 30 kids signed up.
Taylor is the golf pro for Big Fish. He has been golfing since the age of six. Prior to big fish, he was the course professional at Tagalong Golf Club.
"I learned by sweeping gravel and sand away to expose a hard surface on a gravel road. So in the beginning a gravel road was my first fairway. Once my parents saw how much I loved the game, the golf course became my babysitter," Taylor shared. "Lakeview was a small par three course on Lovejoy Lake and it was there that I started to really fall in love with the game and everything that went with it. The smell of the fresh cut grass, the dew in the early morning across the greens, the buzz in the pro shop, the cheeseburger baskets for lunch, finding golf balls in the woods and other things like that."
Taylor went on to share where he learned some of his knowledge about golf. He said over the years he gained a ton of golf knowledge from local professionals like David Blake, Todd Severude, Bruce Crotteau and Dennis Nicks and local legends like Jr. Martinson, Tom Puls, Bud Atwood, John Becker, Al Bearheart and of course my father, Bruce Taylor.
"He introduced the game to me. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be where I am today through his guidance and leadership," Taylor stated. "Also, we have the ability to learn from some of the greatest to ever play the game like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Sam Snead, Bobby Jones, Jack Nicholas, Michelle Wie, Anika Sorenstam, Fred Couples, Steve Stricker and teachers like Butch Harmon, David Ledbetter, Sean Foley, Jimmy McLean, Hank Haney and of course Harvey Penik. That’s a vast amount of knowledge that I would love to share with everyone that wants to know about the game of golf and what it has to offer, even beyond the game."
Taylor said lessons at Big Fish are $20 per session. He may be reached at 715-699-5340.
Please call the course at 715-634-4770 to sign up your child for the free golf clinic.
