Both dreams can come true by purchasing Trip Giveaway tickets from the Amherst Junior Golf Committee at the Amherst Golf Club.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity to introduce kids to the game of golf,” said Cayne Amos, chairman of the junior golf program at the Amherst Golf Club.
Three hundred trip tickets will be sold at $100 each.
“If we sell all 300 tickets, then we raised $30,000,” said Amos. “$17,000 goes back in prizes, leaving $13,000 allotted to the Junior Golf Committee to purchase memberships for 25 new youth golfers from the area.”
Youth membership dues at the Amherst Golf Club costs $300.
“The expense to the parents, or parent, to get their kid into golf is a bare minimum because the committee is paying their junior dues and they’re also receiving a $100 gift certificate to the Amherst Golf Club Pro Shop to buy equipment, like golf balls or tees, or to use towards the purchase of clubs.”
On top of a free membership and the $100 gift certificate, kids also get two lessons each week for free for eight weeks of July and August.
“They actually spend time with Archie (Michael Archibald). He’s our head professional and general manager at the Amherst Golf Club,” said Amos. “The 25 kids will have one lesson on Monday for an hour and one lesson Thursday for an hour, and that runs the eight weeks of summer.”
A youth membership also allows the kids to enjoy free rounds of golf for the entire summer.
There are two criteria to apply; you must be between eight and 18-years-old and have never played the game of golf before.
Youth interested in taking part in junior golf program can fill out an application on the Amherst Golf Club website or find applications at the five Amherst Schools and at in River Hebert elementary and high school.
“Our committee will collect the applications in the spring time,” said Amos.
Once the applications are collected, 25 youth will be selected in a random draw.
Amos hopes it becomes an annual event.
“My hope is we can do this for a few years and circulate one hundred different kids through the golf course,” said Amos.
Besides getting kids into the outdoors and away from video games, Amos says golf teaches many values, and is a fun, sociable game.
“You take four people, you go out and spend three to five hours together. During that time you’re learning about the people you’re playing with,” said Amos. “Also, to me the etiquette of golf and the manners involved is important. Each round is finished with a handshake and a thank you. It’s a sociable game.”
Golf also opens up a new world to youth.
“To me there are just as many roads and opportunities for a kid playing golf as there is for a kid playing hockey or baseball,” said Amos. “Universities and colleges are all getting teams, and the high school here (Amherst Regional High School) has a program.”
The draw will be made June 1.
The four grand prizes are one-week, all-inclusive trips for two. They are as follows: Freeport, Grand Bahamas Island; Mayan Riviera, Mexico; Cayo Coco, Cuba; and Samana, Dominican Republic.
There are also eight $100 cash prizes and four $300 cash prizes. The 12 cash prize winners all go back into the draw for the four grand prizes.
Tickets are available at Archway Insurance, at Tantramar Chevrolet Buick and by calling Cayne Amos at 902-664-4141.
