Etiquette lessons par for the course

The Baltimore Sun

The program is designed to teach kids how to play golf.

But on a recent afternoon about 20 children ranging in age from 7 to 17 gathered in the clubhouse at Wetlands Golf Course in Aberdeen to practice proper handshaking technique. They also worked on how to introduce themselves.

Once the 15-minute life skills session was completed, the children headed outside to hone their golf skills.

"We start out learning how to meet and greet people, and how to just be nicer," said Emily Rippel, a 14-year-old Bel Air resident. "Then we go outside and practice what we learned on the golf course.

"And the best part is that I use these skills at school and at home, and I think it makes me a better person."

The youngsters are participating in First Tee, a program designed for at-risk children who wouldn't otherwise be exposed to golf, said James Hackford, a teaching professional at Wetlands who first offered the program in Harford County in 2005.

"Some kids go to the putting green and can't believe that it's real grass," he said. "There are Harford County children out there who have never seen that kind of natural beauty."

The program, founded in 1997 by the World Golf Foundation, has reached more than 1.5 million children in 47 states and five countries. It is offered three times a year, with participants attending one session a week for six weeks.

Last month, they were invited to a clinic in the days leading up to the LPGA tournament at Bulle Rock in Havre de Grace. And before the AT&T; National tournament that started Thursday in Bethesda, two golfers gave a clinic to children participating in Washington's First Tee program.

In Harford, the cost runs from $55 to $160, based on family income, said Hackford, a Rosedale resident. Program costs are subsidized by national charitable organizations, he said.

About 80 youngsters, some of whom are members of community outreach programs and faith-based youth groups, signed up for the Harford County program's summer session, he said. During the school year, the program is introduced to children in schools and at county Boys and Girls Clubs, Hackford said.

The participants are split into four groups based on skill level: Par, Birdie, Eagle and Ace. In the Par program, the children learn the basics of golf, and begin instruction on nine values: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.

"We encourage them to improve not only their golf game but themselves," Hackford said.

At the Birdie level, they learn more advanced golf skills -- such as how to read a green -- and ponder questions such as the difference between dreams and realistic goals.

As a participant in the Birdie group, Tyler Moebuis has improved his swing and learned about honesty.

"We learn not to lie on our golf scorecards and how to be courteous and respectful of others," the 12-year-old Bel Air resident said.

For some of the kids, learning the basics of a golf swing proved beneficial in other sports.

"I'm using the skills I learn here in softball," said Carly White, an 8-year-old Perryville resident. "The last game of the season, I hit a home run."

Emily Schenning also has learned to be patient on and off the golf course.

"I relax more, and I take my time no matter what I'm doing," the 14-year-old Bel Air resident said as she showed off a cap that she said pro golfer Michelle Wie autographed for her at the LPGA tournament.

The program's mix of golf instruction and life skills training so intrigued Dave Simmons, a physical education teacher at Forest Hill Elementary School, that he volunteered to help as an instructor.

"Some of the concepts ... tie closely to what we infuse in the school curriculum," the Havre de Grace resident said. "So I take some things back with me and implement them into our physical education program."

The program eliminated some of Emily Rippel's misconceptions about the game.

"Golf is more athletic than people think," Emily said. "It's more than just smacking a ball 300 yards or swinging the clubs perfectly, it's also about treating people well and making good choices."

A high point of the summer program came last month when the children participated in a clinic offered before the start of the LPGA tournament at Bulle Rock. The session started with a demonstration by pros including rookie Charlotte Mayorkas.

Mayorkas, who recalled that her introduction to golf came through a junior clinic, said taking part in such programs is a way to be a positive role model.

"I wanted to come out and be a part of the clinic because it gives me a chance to show the kids that hard work pays off," said Mayorkas while hitting balls on the Bulle Rock Golf Course before the start of the clinic. "I wanted them to see what happens when you practice and stick with the game."

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