MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Tiger Woods can hit a golf ball 300 yards and sink 25-foot putts with ease. While the golfers hitting the links at the Torii Pines Golf Course may not be quite on that level, a group of children are working their way towards it.
The Junior Golf Camps at the TPGC give young golfers an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the game.
"The golf camps are a two-week program that instills a basic knowledge of the game into the children," said Gary Groff, TPGC manager. "We try to cover every aspect of a golfer's swing from their grip to the follow through."
Not only does the two-week clinic cover the basics on how to hit, chip and putt the ball, but also goes over the rules of the game, proper golf course etiquette and safety.
"We want the kids to go out and be able to play a good round of golf, but also be able to conduct themselves properly on the course," said Groff. "It's a great opportunity for the kids to get out and learn the game as young as they are because it will give them a skill that they can use for the rest of their lives."
The camp is broken up into sessions with two different age groups, the first being 8 to 10-year-olds and the second being for participants 11 to 16.
At the end of the two weeks while the older children are showing off their new skills at the TPGC, the younger age group will take a field trip to the Hachigamine Park to play a round of miniature golf.
"We're learning a lot about golfing and it's a lot of fun," said R.J. Boerst, 9-year-old Junior Golf Camp participant. "I just want to hit a hole in one and practice to be the best golfer in the world."