Just finishing its second year, the Eagle Ridge Junior League has helped many young golfers with their game.

Leonard Gilman, who helped to start the league with Eagle Ridge General Manager Billy Gooch, said he loves to see improvement in each golfer over the nine-week program.

“You just see how you’re starting to make a golfer in nine weeks,” Gilman said.

One player had never picked up a club before and by the end of the program, she was one of the best on her team.

“She started to evolve as a little golfer,” he said.

Each year, coaches lead five to six teams with about five golfers between the ages of 6 and 15.

Coaches choose teams with a wide range of golfers’ abilities from beginners to experienced players.

Gilman said it’s a great way for kids to be introduced to the game.

Gilman said the league wouldn’t be possible without the volunteers. Parents keep score and each team has a coach and an assistant coach.

Teams practice twice a week and have a tournament each week. Each golfer has a max of 10 strokes per hole.

Even more than golf skills, Gilman said the kids develop lasting friendships through the program. Many learn that they aren’t alone in their level of knowledge about golf.

“You find out in golf that not everyone is a Tiger Woods,” Gilman said.

The intermingling helps kids create friendships as well as a competitive nature. Throughout the season, golfers fine tune their skills and become more competitive with one another. At the end of the season, everyone gets a trophy for participating in the championship. The sixth place team gets a small trophy and the first place team wins a large trophy.

To learn more about the Eagle Ridge Junior Golf League, call the Eagle Ridge Golf Course at 919-661-6300.