With Canadian golfers like Graham deLaet and Brooke Henderson performing on the world stage at the Summer Olympics in Rio, some West Shore youngsters are eagerly looking to follow in their footsteps.

Junior golf programs at both Bear Mountain Resort and Olympic View Golf Club have been popular this year, with six to 10 kids on average attending Bear MountainB次元官网网址檚 weekly junior clinics and sold out day camps at Olympic View.

While instruction is important, said Bear Mountain assistant golf pro and junior co-ordinator Jaegan Patron, he places more focus on fun, especially as the kids are just being introduced to the sport.

B次元官网网址淲e always try to make it fun for them. Obviously if they are learning too much stuff right off the bat, they tend to get discouraged if they donB次元官网网址檛 pick it up right away,B次元官网网址� he said.

Patron acknowledges that the competition for childrenB次元官网网址檚 attention can be fierce, with numerous other sporting exploits vying for their time. But he believes golf is a great way for kids to develop friendships. B次元官网网址淵ou just never know who youB次元官网网址檙e going to run into out on the course,B次元官网网址� he said.

Participants at Bear MountainB次元官网网址檚 clinics are given a chance to practice on the putting green, at the driving range, and even on the course over the course of the 90-minute sessions, with Patron providing instruction across all facets of the game.

B次元官网网址淔or some of them, the range isnB次元官网网址檛 really as interesting B次元官网网址� but once you get them out on the course and they actually see the way the game is played B次元官网网址� it tends to get them a little bit more excited,B次元官网网址� he said.

Matt Cella, the director of instruction at Olympic View and the coach of the B.C. junior team, said participation in golf among children and youth is on the rise.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 certainly a lot of kids getting into golf B次元官网网址� weB次元官网网址檝e actually had to go and allow the kids in from the wait list and [hired] extra instructors to teach our [summer camps],B次元官网网址� he said.

Cella added that experience with other sports puts a junior golfer on the right track for early success.

B次元官网网址淲e find that any kids B次元官网网址� even the young kids like the four, five or six year olds B次元官网网址� if theyB次元官网网址檝e done anything like gymnastics or dance or anything that takes a lot of co-ordination, they pick up golf really quickly,B次元官网网址� he said.

Ball position, grip and stance are the most important skills for juniors to learn, Patron said, but he also stresses golf etiquette in his teaching.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a few people who donB次元官网网址檛 like seeing [kids] on the golf course because they donB次元官网网址檛 really know the [etiquette] and theyB次元官网网址檙e running on the green and stuff like that, so we always try to introduce them right way,B次元官网网址� he explained.

The learning curve is a steep one, and Patron said his reward comes in the form of seeing the kids improve from one week to the next.

B次元官网网址淲hen the light bulb goes off in their head, itB次元官网网址檚 definitely rewarding as an instructor.B次元官网网址�

To find out more about the clubsB次元官网网址� junior golf programs, visit bearmountain.ca or golfbc.com/courses/olympic_view.

joel.tansey@goldstreamgazette.com