There’s just something about kids learning to play golf that pulls at the heart strings. Their unbridled excitement when they make contact with the ball, their wide smiles as they laugh and play with new friends, and their awe when they see their favorite players hit different types of shots on command – it all brings you back to why you started playing this game.
I was one of those kids 20 years ago, and the clinics hosted at LPGA Tour events stuck with me. I felt inspired to pursue professional golf and tucked away the bits of wisdom the players offered so I could give myself the best shot at making my dream come true. And I did!
It was surreal seeing the next generation experience the same emotions and begin their golf journey. I have no doubt some of these girls will go on to play collegiate and professional golf, and they will trace part of their why back to Annika Sorenstam’s Share My Passion clinic.
Held during the final hours of the third round of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, 40 lucky girls ages 6 to 14 entered the practice area for lunch, instruction and a show hosted by Sorenstam herself.
Sorenstam and the ANNIKA Foundation chose the 40 girls from letters they wrote about why they love golf. Sorenstam rolled this special clinic into her LPGA Tour event. “ This tournament is about growing the game, and I think you see it behind you [in the practice area],” said Sorenstam. “It’s all about the future of the sport.”
Grouped by age, the girls attended four stations: full swing, chipping, putting and fitness, which aligns with Sorenstam’s mission to “teach young people the importance of personal development, including living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition.”
The importance of fitness came up in her show, too, when her guest LPGA Tour players, Alexa Pano and Julia Lopez Ramirez, stressed the need to stay fit and mobile in order to play their best. The professional golfers answered some other questions from the crowd during the show, like how they prepare for golf tournaments and how they use a yardage book.
Sorenstam, Pano and Lopez Ramirez also demonstrated a variety of golf shots, like Pano’s fade with a 5-wood, Lopez Ramirez’s hook with a driver and Sorenstam’s high shot with a 7-iron.
After Sorenstam answered all the questions from the audience, she and the players lined up for autographs. The kids also took home healthy snacks from Publix and colorful golf balls from Callaway.
While the kids walked away with hardware, I can attest that they also left with inspiration, determination and friends. I for one can’t wait to see where these girls are in 10-20 years after the seed that was planted today at the Share My Passion clinic with Annika starts to grow.
