Summerland Golf & Country Club Head Professional Tye Babkirk was recently named the PGA of BC Junior Golf Leader of 2013.
Under Babkirk’s leadership, his club held a very successful 2013 Jack McLaughlin PGA of BC Pro-Junior Championship, which also included an introductory barbecue and afternoon on the lake.
The Summerland Golf & Country Club has developed a Junior Program which operates from May 1st to August 31st. The program is every Monday, with approximately 15 – 20 juniors for the lessons and roughly 20 to 30 Juniors and adults for the 9 hole shotgun.
The club also has weekday and weekend Junior Summer Camps which have always sold out and become quite a topic of discussion as the summer approaches with parents and grandparents planning the summer activities for their kids.
Babkirk is also involved with a program called Hearts @ School, which involves Grade 6 students from around the Summerland and Penticton area for the past 5 years. This full-day event exposes these students to physical activities and the benefits from living a healthy lifestyle and staying active.
The Summerland Golf & Country Club has also been involved with elementary and secondary school students in Summerland, providing coaching to the students when they come to the driving range for school, with everything free of charge or donated.
The Summerland Golf & Country Club also donates the golf course to the High School Golf Tour stop which is played in the early spring and which sees roughly 80 – 100 students from around the South Okanagan participating.
Babkirk isn’t resting on his laurels though.
“I approached my Board of Directors with an idea to help grow the game and create a program that will lead to future members potentially for our golf club and help continue to promote the game of golf here in Summerland,” said Babkirk. “The idea is to have NO Membership fees for Juniors in 2014. The idea was a smashing success, so now I am putting together the guidelines for such a program which will be launched in the spring of 2014.”
Babkirk is proud of everything he has accomplished in Summerland.
“What I have always said since I’ve entered into the PGA of Canada,” said Babkirk, “is that this is a lifestyle, not a job. What I mean by that is for me I am always 100 per cent a Golf Professional – that means in the grocery store, the beach or when you’re out for dinner with your family. I always take the time to discuss any issues my members or non-members may have when I am out and about in the community. I am always looking for ways I might inspire fellow professionals. I speak of the importance of upgrading and further developing one’s skill set. I participate in as many golf tournaments as possible to support my Interior Tour and network with my fellow professionals on issues that we all might be facing.”
Congratulations to Tye Babkirk, the PGA of BC Junior Golf Leader of 2013.