Youth golfer event goes on despite weather
VERNON — “Minerals Golf Club is an advocate of junior and family golf. The Parent Junior Tournaments provide a fun and competitive golf environment that is a great family experience” says Nick VanDerlofske the Director of Golf, The Director of Golf at the Club.
In spite of the forecast of rain and assisted by staffers Shannon Gambuti and Shawn Weigel, VanDerlofske welcomed a full roster of parents and their daughters and sons to play in the Mid-Summer Parent/Youth Golf Classic on Sunday, Aug. 12.
A growing number of parents are discovering that golf is a sport they can share with their children not only during their youth but for a life time. They have also learned that the Crystal Springs Golf Resort’s Minerals Golf Club is the ideal venue to learn the sport with their sons and daughters because of the Club’s commitment to families and accommodations which include special enlarged golf holes and family carts that can hold six family members and their golf bags.
Mid-Summer Parent/Youth Golf Classic was competed in three Divisions: Grade K thru 4, Grade 5 thru 8 and High School. The Parent/Youth twosome followed a two golfer team scramble format in which each golfer hits their tee shot from a tee box determined by the age of the golfer. The team then plays the best of the two shots through the completion of the hole with the younger golfers playing from advanced tees and shooting at enlarged golf holes. The team in each of three age Divisions with the lowest team score is declared the winner.
The winner of the K-4th Grade Division was Adrian Padula, who with the help of his Dad Marc scored a 2-under-par 29. The winner for the 5th-8th Grade Division was Avery Cohen scoring an even par 31. The High School Division winner was Rayne Yelinko with a 4-over par 35.
Prizes were also awarded for closest to the pin for both parents and junior golfers. Junior golfers Nick Theodorou was the closest to the pin winner on hole #9 with a shot that came to rest 6’ 4” from the pin and Michael Padula with a closest to the pin shot on hole #9 that ended up 5’ 6” from the pin. Parent winners were Lou Theodorou with a 14’ 11” tee shot and Patrick Mullen whose ball ended up 19’ 11” on the same holes.
— Story and photos courtesy John Whiting