In Silver Bay, more and more kids are trading screen time for green time, joining the Junior Golf Program to learn the game, make friends, and enjoy the summer outdoors.
“I think when I started, we had a little over 20 kids or so,” said Jake Stadler, who is in his third year as a coach in the program. Stadler is a Silver Bay graduate who currently attends the University of Nebraska, training to become a golf professional, and is spending his summer internship working at the Northland Country Club in Duluth.
Last summer, 41 young golfers took to the green. This year, a total of 57 (split into groups ages 6–10 and 11–17) spent the season practicing their swings, sharpening their skills, and having fun on the course.
Stadler, who was once in their shoes as a Junior Golf participant himself, credits the growth to the simple joy the kids find in the game.
“I think we do a good job of making sure golf is fun for the kids,” he said. “They all have fun, and they want to bring their friends with.”
Fellow coach Jesse Viola, in his fourth year with the program, agreed. He also praised the parents and grandparents whose steady support made it possible for the kids to be at the course all summer.
“It’s a big dedication by everybody involved. The kids themselves and the parents to get them out there,” said Viola.
Viola also leads fundraising for Junior Golf and other non-school-sponsored sports by organizing the Outdoor Sports Expo each spring. The event helps pay for t-shirts, prizes, treats, and Powerade, amongst many other resources for local sports programs.
The Silver Bay Golf Course plays a key role in keeping Junior Golf going strong.
“Norma [O’Leary, the golf course superintendent], of course, was outstanding. She made us a driving range, and she made another green for us the last day of a little 9-hole putting course,” explained coach Mike Guzzo, who is also heavily involved in the program.
“They let us use the golf course, the putting green, the driving range,” said Viola. “They do a lot of programs.”
The season wrapped up in true celebration style, with hot dogs, chips, root beer, cookies, and plenty of smiles. Each golfer left with a mini golf pass from Silver Bay’s Black Beach Mini Golf, along with prizes and swag to mark their achievements.
The Junior Golf tournament results will be featured in a future article. At the time of this writing, 20 kids have signed up to play. Last year, there were 12, a jump that reflects not just the program’s growth but also the growing confidence of its young golfers.
For Stadler, being part of that progress is deeply rewarding.
“It’s always nice to give back to the program that helped you love the game of golf,” he said. “I just have a blast with all the kids. They’re awesome.”
I have it on good authority that the kids think Stadler is pretty awesome, too.
Congratulations to all the young golfers who took part in Junior Golf this season. May next season’s numbers continue to reflect the dedication of the community to the sport, and may even more kids trade a few hours of screen time for time on the green.
