It’s easy to believe the future of golf is in good hands if we examine the successful progress of Youth on Course, the PGA Jr. League – and locally in West Michigan the explosive growth of the Junior Camp program at Maple Hill Golf in Grandville.
Maple Hill is an original 18-hole golf course that expanded to include a wholesale and retail golf center now celebrating 40 years. But one of its biggest successes is the Junior Golf Camp that has grown nearly 40 percent over last year alone. 
Three sessions run during the summer, one week each in June, July and August, for 3-to-4 days at a time depending on age. Boys used to make up 90 percent of the program but this year the percentage is 75 for boys and 25 for girls.
“And the market for kids we call the peewees, age 7 and under, is through the roof,” said Maple Hill general manager Jason Sanchez, who has led the Junior program for about 12 years. “I realized that a lot of the parents who have kids that are reaching these younger ages graduated from high school or college in that era where Tiger Woods came on Tour, so that might have a little to do with it.”
Sanchez said that the program serves between 240-250 kids per week for all four days, whereas last year the same schedule saw around 150-175 juniors.
“We’re one of the only ones that offer that younger (peewees) program, but I just think growth in Junior golf in general is up,” Sanchez said. “So, we’re very excited and we are pushing ourselves to make sure everyone gets equal attention throughout the camps.”
Beginner classes are available for ages 8-14 for kids that might be raw to the game. Then there’s an intermediate class for the same ages who have had some experience. An advanced academy for kids who have gone through all three levels in the past is also available. Each day includes instructional drills and getting on the golf course with mentors to play in a scramble format.
Sanchez said new this year is a high school girls golf camp, where the young ladies get guidance on improvement to qualify for their school team but also meet other girls their age. In the last 10 years he’s seen 25 or more girls go through the Maple Hill programs, work at Maple Hill and go on to play college golf.
Jodi Veldhouse, a mother to two sons and a daughter, were all hanging out at the driving range after her sons Mason and Brayden went through a Wednesday session.
“My husband is a golfer and he didn’t get into golfing until he was in college, so he wanted to get the boys into golf early,” she said. “And at ages 7 (Mason) and 9 (Brayden) they’re taking their first Maple Hill golf lessons. They’re having a ball. And if they like it they’ll keep golfing.”
Mason added: “Golf is my favorite sport and I like hitting it far. I’m getting better and better.”
The 2018 camps could top 1,000 golfers for the first summer ever.
“I’ve seen a lot of smiles out here; these kids do love it,” Sanchez said. “And it’s my best part of the year, the Junior Camps. It’s all about the kids having fun.”
