"Little Whippers" Lessons

Prices: $25 -Golf Balls included

Schedule for 2011

These sessions will go over the fundamentals of the full swing for development for a correct swing motion. Instruction will include chipping & putting. Whether you are seasoned player or learning the game for the first time, Stony Creek offers a variety of clinics to help you improve both your physical and mental game.

Hometown Heroes Spotlight: Carol Rhoades PGA Professional

Carol Rhoades, Head PGA Professional at Stony Creek Golf Course, operates a program called the "Little Whippers." The program is designed to introduce 3-6 year olds to the game of golf and all the benefits golf can provide throughout life. Recently we spoke with Carol about her program and she stated, "We take children from the park district school system, daycare system, and the early child development system and put them into a program where we expose them to a sport that they may have never been exposed to before. We expose them to safety, fun, and encourage family learning through participation in golf."

Carol has been a proponent of early childhood development through golf for a very long time. When she started at the Oak Lawn Park District, she implemented her child development experience and helped develop the facility into a community friendly educational system. This was accomplished by providing children from all economic backgrounds the opportunity to play golf. Carol also quoted, "With the help from the Illinois PGA Foundation providing youth golf clubs and hats, the kids have been able to come out and play golf during their weekend program with their families, making it a positive family environment."

PGA Foundation Provides Grant to Support Illinois

The PGA Foundation, headquartered Palm Beach Gardens, has awarded the Illinois Section Foundation an equipment grant that will support local professionals' volunteer efforts with youth in their communities. The grant included four boxes of club grips and forty-eight sets of U.S. Kids Golf clubs and bags. Juan Espejo, PGA Professional at Maryville Academy, will use the grips for his "Clubs for Kids" program. Maryville youth are employed to refurbish donated golf clubs and process orders for local junior golf programs such as the Chicago Public Schools after school program. The forty-eight sets of clubs will be distributed among PGA Professionals participating in our Hometown Heroes program. The professionals will keep the sets at their golf facilities to be used for the youth organization they are volunteering their time and services. Boys Hope/Girls Hope of Illinois Glenwood Schools and the Alledale Association are a few of the youth residential care groups that will benefit from the donation.