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S PORTS
Hood River News, Wednesday, July 1, 2015
A7
Junior golf growing at Indian Creek
Golf course’s program is getting more kids to participate in the sport
By BEN MITCHELL
News staff writer
After starting its inaugural season last year, Indian
Creek’s PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association of America)
Junior League Golf program is now really getting into the
swing of things.
Mark Gradin, director of player development at Indian
Creek Golf Course, says the ranks of the program have
about doubled in size compared to last year’s tally of 16
young golfers, which Gradin believes is a sign of the sport’s
growing popularity among today’s youth.
“When you see how young some of these players are on the
PGA Tour, it’s inspired these young kids to take up golf,” he
said.
The Brookside Drive golf course’s program is part of the
national level PGA JLG program that has grown rapidly
since it first began in 2011, offered to golfers ages 13 and
younger. As opposed to the traditional stroke play most are
used to seeing at the professional level, the PGA JLG uses a
“less stressful scramble format,” according to the league’s
website. In a scramble, golfers are often paired into teams of
two or four, tee off on the same hole, decide which shot they
like best, and then all hit again from the selected shot. At In-
dian Creek, the older kids compete in 9-hole matches; golfers
nine years old and under compete in 4-hole matches.
Gradin said similar increases in youth golf programs
have been experienced at The Dalles Country Club, and the
two golf clubs now “have enough players on both teams that
we can compete in our own league.”
This season’s Indian Creek Junior League has been going
since the middle of June, with regular matches against The
Dalles scheduled to go through July. Like Little League base-
ball and softball, the junior golf program will pick All-Star
teams, who will then play against Portland teams in tourna-
ments throughout the month of August.
Gradin mentioned that he even has a couple of five-year-
olds on the team who are “phenomenal for their age… the
way they hit the ball and chip and putt. I’ve been working
with them since they were four.”
…Which is usually about the youngest age kids start
learning to play the game, Gradin says. That is, unless you’re
Tiger Woods (he started before age 2). In addition to the
younger kids, Gradin said there is a separate six-person 16U
team as well, to give some extra practice to the primarily
soon-to-be-sophomores who competed on the Hood River Val-
ley High School golf team as freshmen this spring.
In addition to the league, Gradin says he has also seen the
number of those taking junior lessons go up as well. He said
the course makes an effort to promote golf in local elemen-
tary and middle schools through another program called
SNAG (Starting New At Golf), where students get to come
out to the course and learn some of the fundamentals of the
sport. The program has been ongoing for the past three
years.
“We’re trying to make the course accessible to as many
kids as we can,” Gradin said.
For more information on other junior golf opportunities,
go to the Indian Creek Golf Course website at indiancreek-
golf.com or call 541-386-7770.
KIDS have been enjoying Indian
Creek Golf Course’s PGA Junior
League Golf program. Above, a
young golfer gets ready to off at
one of the course’s holes. At
right, more young golfers, Wyatt
Bahn (left) and Sequoia Cohen,
pose for a photo in their golfing
attire.
Submitted photos
Beach Bash!
Photos by Ben Mitchell
THE HOOD RIVER WATERFRONT was packed this weekend with people looking to beat the heat and enjoy the Beach Bash event put on by the Columbia Gorge Windsurfing Association. The four-day event
kicked off with a Pray for Wind party on Thursday at Stonehedge Gardens, music at Waterfront Park’s amphitheatre on Friday, Saturday’s all-day beach party, and ended on Sunday with a barbecue, swap
meet, and music. Above are images from Saturday’s beach party, which featured live music, food and beer, low-price windsurf and stand up paddleboard (SUP) demos, free windsurf lessons and SUP clinics,
and many other activities. Starting from the top row, going left to right: A young girl checks out the SUPs for rent at the Event Site, while the band Kitchen Table (composed of, from left to right, Greg Stiegl,
Sean Sauve, Ryan Kolberg, and Anderson Gould), shreds. Bottom row: Wyatt Miller, of Starboard, gives a crash course to some windsurfing neophytes in preparation for the “Never Ever Windsurfed Before
Race;” kids young and old alike enjoyed a game of Archery Tag put on by Global Sessions; Kip Miller mans the grill for Hood River Fire and EMS, who were serving food at the event.
SPORTS BRIEFS
HR 10U softball heading to state tourney
The Hood River Valley Little League 9/10 Softball All-Stars are heading to the state tournament
after defeating the Warm Springs Nation in the District 5 Championships this past weekend in The
Dalles. The teams braved triple-digit temperatures to defeat Warm Springs, 11-8, on Saturday, and
then 12-2 on Sunday in the championship game. The wins earn the team a berth at the softball
state tourney in Portland, which starts July 18. The district tourney for Little League baseball con-
tinues this week in The Dalles, with championship games occurring at the end of the week.
Motorized trail use on HRC trails currently prohibited
As of June 26, the Oregon Department of Forestry has raised the Industrial Fire Protection to
Level III. This invalidated the waiver that was keeping Northwest Area OHV trails open to motor-
ized use on forestlands owned by Hood River County. Motorized trail use on all Hood River Coun-
ty trails is now prohibited until the county sees “significant rains.” Those with questions can call
Henry Buckalew, trails program coordinator for Hood River County, at 541-387-7089.
Mt. Hood NF issues fire restrictions
Submitted photo
HEAT ON FIRE
The Hood River Heat softball team finished up their high school season last week with an impressive
6-2-1 record. Coach Erick Keller said the summer team served as a way for current high school play-
ers to get some extra at-bats outside of the regular season and give him a chance to work with the
incoming freshman in anticipation of next year’s season. The younger players on the roster will con-
tinue on as a 14U team. This photo was taken after winning a tournament late last month. Pictured
here, starting from the back row, going from left to right: Shae Baker (coach), Hannah McNerney,
Mackenzie Booth, Marisol Mendiola, Janessa Castaneda, Kyla Guertin, Bailey LeBreton, Emily Curtis,
Katie Perkins, Michelle Hughes (coach). Far back row: Eric Keller (coach). Front row: Emma Laney, Lizzy
Weekly, Hailey Hughes, Grace Miller, Emily Mason, Emily Ellifritz. Front row laying down: Haylee Baker.
Due to continued dry and hot weather conditions on the Mt. Hood National Forest, officials
have issued public use fire restrictions effective July 1. Dispersed campfires, OHV use (La Dee Flats
exempted), and smoking outside enclosed buildings or vehicles will be prohibited in Mt. Hood NF.
Campfires will only be allowed in approved designated developed recreation sites. Visit
http://1.usa.gov/1U1RgVY to view the full list of approved campgrounds where campfires will still
be allowed. Under the public use fire restrictions the following acts are prohibited on the Mt.
Hood NF: Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire or charcoal fire, except in pro-
vided metal campfire rings or grills in designated developed recreation sites. Portable cooking
stoves and lanterns using liquefied or bottled fuel are permissible in dispersed areas; smoking, ex-
cept within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed campground or while stopped in an area
at least three feet in diameter, which is barren and cleared of all flammable material; operating a
generator, except in designated developed recreation sites. The Mt. Hood NF will also go to an In-
dustrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) 2 effective July 1. Restrictions on firewood cutting, timber op-
erations, and other industrial operations will be required to follow IFPL 2 requirements. Included
in these requirements is a prohibition on chainsaw use after 1 p.m. and the need to maintain a
fire watch of at least one hour following the use of a chainsaw. For more info, visit
http://1.usa.gov/1LEx2z7.