Payne Stewart’s Foundation introducing golf to America’s youth

Consider once you first discovered to throw a baseball, kick a soccer ball, or shoot a basketball.

Otherwise you took swimming classes on the native pool.

No matter exercise you probably did between the ages of three and 7, it possible didn’t contain golf.

The Payne Stewart Children Golf Basis goals to alter that.

“Our view is each little one deserves to discover ways to play golf,” stated Kelly McCammon, the Director and CEO of the Payne Stewart Children Golf Basis, in an unique interview with Enjoying Via.

“All people ought to discover ways to hit a golf ball. We wish to be the golf equal of tee-ball or the bunny slope within the snowboarding trade. When you begin on the age of seven on a golf course, it’s actually like beginning quick pitch [baseball], and people children are skipping the entry-level.”

McCammon and the inspiration have established ties with lots of of YMCAs and Boys and Women Golf equipment throughout the USA, hoping to introduce golf to youngsters, particularly those that come from poverty.

“We go into these communities, and we begin these applications, and we prepare the youth leaders on run the exercise,” McCammon defined. “It’s all video games in place. After which the children study the fundamentals of golf. They discover ways to putt, chip, pitch, and swing, they usually discover ways to play holes inside or outdoors.”

Basically, the best way McCammon appears to be like at it’s, all of these parks, soccer fields, out of doors basketball courts, and people public areas the place youngsters play will be utilized as newbie golf programs.

It’s a sensible idea, and it has begun to take off.

In 2023, the Payne Stewart Children Golf Basis launched golf to roughly 40,000 youngsters. They hope to achieve 500,000 yearly within the coming years.

However the important thing to doing so is getting children interested by golf, which, as McCammon famous, having high athletes play golf helps entice younger audiences.

“Have a look at Steph Curry profitable the Lake Tahoe occasion,” McCammon stated. “Right here’s an NBA participant taking pictures two below over three days, which is loopy.”

“Each nice athlete on the planet performs golf, just like the frequent denominator between all of the athletes, cricket gamers, soccer gamers, basketball gamers, all of them play golf. Hey, golf is fairly cool as a result of each nice athlete performs golf.”

McCammon additionally defined how children ought to study the sport from as near the outlet as doable, simply as Tiger Woods did so at a younger age.

Getty Photographs

The now 15-time main champion first discovered to putt, knocking two to three-foot putts right into a gap as he imitated his father, Earl.

From there, Woods progressively moved again till he was simply swinging a membership.

However, in fact, Woods is an anomaly. But, he serves for example of what McCammon and the Payne Stewart Household try to perform: for kids to determine an understanding of the sport at an early age.

The sport of golf stays with these younger youngsters for all times. That’s the great thing about this recreation: anyone can play it anyplace, with anybody.

“You’re beginning at 4 or 5 years previous, at a Boys and Women Membership and even in a parking zone, they usually by no means thought they might study golf,” McCammon stated.

“Then they’re beginning to play in elementary college, after which highschool, and it’s simply enjoyable. Then they go to varsity or to not faculty, however they’re nonetheless taking part in. After which, later of their life, they’re an grownup, they usually’re taking part in of their company outing, then they’re taking part in with their spouse, then they’ve children, they usually’re taking part in with their children, after which they become older, they’re taking part in with their grandkids, and also you comply with them from 5 to 100.

“There’s a entire lifetime of that, of that story of, and that’s the true energy of golf.”

Golf is a recreation based on ideas, integrity, and morality. Holding your self in verify, displaying manners on the course, and penalizing your self are all important tenets of the sport—but additionally of life.

Steve Schaefer by way of Getty Photographs

If these values are instilled at an early age, increasingly more youngsters can be higher off.

And people are the attributes that the late, nice Payne Stewart lived by, whose title is now related to a distinguished award on the PGA Tour. Former participant and broadcaster Gary Koch received the 2023 Payne Stewart Award, given to somebody “who finest exemplifies Stewart’s values of character, charity and sportsmanship.”

Now, Stewart’s legacy lives on by his basis, as his spouse Tracey continues to play an important position in rising the sport amongst America’s youth.

There may be nonetheless loads of work to be finished. However hopefully, in due time, American youngsters can be placing, chipping, and swinging a golf membership simply as continuously as throwing a baseball, kicking a soccer ball, and taking pictures a basketball.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying Via. You’ll be able to comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko for extra golf protection. Be sure you take a look at @_PlayingThrough too.