CHEBOYGAN – Golf continues to grow in many areas of the country.
It most certainly has in Northern Michigan, especially in places like Cheboygan and Indian River.
The First Tee Golf Program, put on by the Cheboygan County Junior Golf Academy, had a successful season by hosting several kids for many weeks at both the Cheboygan Golf & Country Club and Indian River Golf Club.
This past summer, the First Tee Program took place at both respective courses and worked with golfers ages 6-15 during an eight-week period. Created to be fun for young golfers while teaching the basics, a First Tee three-hour session was held once per week.
“It’s been pretty successful,” said Cheboygan County Junior Golf Academy President Ed Kosanke. “Over 100 kids took golf lessons in Cheboygan and Indian River, which is a huge number of kids interested in golf. When you look at little league and softball, it probably rivals that participation right there. The program is sort of low key, and the kids seem to enjoy the program.”
EMILY CLARK: Cheboygan’s Clark happy to be injury-free, off to strong start in senior golf season
KATIE MAYBANK: Cheboygan’s Maybank set to cap off remarkable girls golf career at fourth state finals
According to Kosanke, attendance per week was 88 kids in Cheboygan and 25 in Indian River, which meant a 20 percent increase over the past year.
The program, which started about seven years ago in Indian River, had local golf professionals working with the participants. First Tee provides three teaching golf pros and Cheboygan relies on 8-10 volunteers for the three-hour sessions.
“I think that was a key component to the success, was the volunteers as well as the First Tee program,” Kosanke said. “Pat Linton has played a major role in the success of the Cheboygan County Junior Golf Academy and the First Tee program. Olwyn Hancock from the Cheboygan (Golf & Country Club) has also been helpful.”
So, why exactly has the First Tee program been a huge hit in these communities?
“I think No. 1, the kids like to play golf as an individual sport,” Kosanke said. “Every kid, no matter what their physical makeup is, can be good at golf, and it is low key. There’s a little bit of competition going on, but what I think is good for our program, we have very few dropouts after eight weeks, so that means to me that the parents like the program. I just think it’s a new sport, and we’re just trying to introduce the game of golf to the kids.”
First Tee, a national program with various sites throughout Northern Michigan, also supports a child’s development and stresses self-confidence, communication skills, integrity and sportsmanship. First Tee is at no cost for young golfers because of donations made by local businesses and individuals. Donations can be sent to Cheboygan Junior Golf Academy, PO Box 622, Cheboygan. Spring of 2024 registration is currently available online at the First Tee website.
“The goal is to have at least a certain percentage of the kids to keep playing golf for the rest of their lives,” Kosanke said. “It’s something they can always do. They can’t play football after high school, but they could certainly play golf, and some of the kids might even be interested enough to go out for the golf team. The golf team is not our goal, but the golf team is sort of indicative that the kids are getting better every year.”
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: First Tee golf program a major hit in Cheboygan, Indian River communities