Young aspiring golfers were lucky enough to this week receive coaching from former golf champion Jack Newton when he came to Forbes for a two-day golf camp.
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About 50 kids ranging in ages from five to 16 attended the camp, as well as participating in a junior tournament on Sunday, receiving valuable tips and lessons from the great Australian golfer and other top coaches.
The majority of participants in attendance were from Forbes, but there were also junior golfers from Parkes, Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst, Peak Hill, Wellington, Tottenham and Bourke.
The golf camp is run twice a year for under 18s – in the April and October school holidays.
The camp is part of the Jack Newton Junior Golf foundation which was established in 1986 to introduce more young people to the game of golf and to nurture their skills and enjoyment of the sport.
Forbes Golf Association junior coordinator Anthony Gordon said it is a privilege to have Jack Newton himself come to Forbes to help teach the kids.
“Jack has been out last year and then again this year, which is pretty special to get him out here,” he said.
Mr Gordon said the clinic caters to a range of different levels.
“For the younger ones it’s all about fun and introducing them to the game of golf,” he said.
“The intermediate golfers are looking for game improvement, while some of the development squad players are looking to fix up their technique.”
Jack Newton said it was good to be in Forbes for a couple of days as he has a strong affinity with the town.
“I played an interstate junior series here and I won one of my first professional games in Forbes,” he said.
“I also came back for the 100th anniversary of the golf course … it’s a very good country golf course.”
Jack said the idea of Jack Newton Junior Golf programs is to establish and service a variety of golf programs for boys and girls that create pathways through the sport and cater
for the beginner through to the elite.
“The camps are about coaching from all areas of the game from chipping, putting and the swing,” he said.
“I’m basically just trying to get them on the right track – and then it’s a repetitive thing – they’ve got to keep at it.”
The kids involved started off the activities on Sunday with a tournament and then spent the following two days in the coaching clinic, which Jack says the transformation for some of them is amazing.
“It’s quite exciting to see how much they improve from a couple of days of coaching,” he said.
“They’re all anxious to get out and try their new golf ability now.”
PGA golf professional Eddie Emerson was also in Forbes with the Jack Newton Junior Golf program, helping to coach the kids.
“Jack gives them an opportunity to learn golf and through golf they form lasting friendships throughout different country towns,” he said.
Anthony Gordon said the Forbes Golf Association will follow up the camp with a series of Sunday morning golf sessions for beginner and intermediate juniors.
“The more advanced players are playing in Jack Newton events around the state, they recently went to Wagga and Bathurst and will be going to Lynwood in Sydney for a masters event on ANZAC day, which then builds up to state age championships in the first week of July,” he said.
Forbes Golf Club will soon be introducing free social golf all year round for all junior members with their $30 membership fee.
