Tom Tucker

The best part of teaching golf to a bunch of kids is seeing how much fun they had, said local Pro Tom Tucker.

About a dozen years ago, Tucker founded the Batavia Country Club Junior Golf Camp.

"I like seeing the kids have fun, and every once in a while, we have somebody who really has some golf DNA in them, and it's fun watching them progress as golfers," Tucker said. "And I like being with the kids. It helps keep me young."

Tucker has been a United States Golf Teachers Federation certified instructor since 2005. He's been listed as a Top 100 teaching pro by the World Golf Teaching Federation since 2010.

The annual summer camp is broken into two groups.  This week the camp is filled to capacity -- 25 students -- with 7 to 10-year-olds.  Next week, the 12 to 15-year-old group arrives at Batavia Country Club.

Each group gets a week of instruction, practice and competition, with a tournament on Friday.

For the younger students, the focus is more on ensuring the kids learn to enjoy the game of golf while older students are given a bit more instruction.  Both groups compete in chipping, pitching, lag putting, accuracy putting, and drives. The winners of each competition receive a medal. 

"We've produced a lot of good golfers," Tucker said.  Some students have gone on to play for their high school teams, Tucker said.

Tucker, this year is assisted by Roxanne Noth and Dominic NiCastro.

For more information on the golf camp and photos from past years, visit TomTuckerGolf.com.

Photos by Howard Owens

Young golfers got a well-rounded experience at the annual Batavia Country Club Junior Golf Camp, according to Pro Tom Tucker.

The back-to-back camps were held in late July and early August.

The camp for kids 7-10 was July 25 through July 29 and the camp for kids 11-15 to was Aug. 1 through Aug. 5.

Instructors included Tucker, a Top-100 golf teacher, Roxanne Noeth, 14-time Batavia Country Club Women's Club Champion,
and Dominic NiCastro

Tucker said that during the week, golfers competed in various contests as well as team competitions along with their instruction and practice sessions.

"All in all, the kids had great weather, made new friends, and had a great time," Tucker said.

For more photos and information, click here. 

Submitted photos.

Top photo: Back row, left to right: Ashton Mapes, Aiden Flaherty, Mike Richenberg, Patrick Casey, Dan Mudrzynski, Hunter Sprague, Nolan Rogers, Joe Wujiec, Joe Mudrzynski, Garrett Morris, Front row, left to right: Dakota Ford, Melina Moscicki, Lena Meyer, Crimson Hurd Alex Tomidy, Luke Mills, Gavin Philp, Jacob Knowlton, Levi Fisher, Absent from photo: Maisse and Delia Yunker

Boys Champion - Brayden Jachimowicz shot a 33 to squeak by Sawyer George and Cody Carlson by one stroke each. Girls Champion - Jada Fite shot a 33 and edged out Brooklyn Jachimowicz (Brayden's sister) by a single stroke in two very exciting finishes.