SUMMER 2016 JUNIOR GOLF PROGRAMS AT THE VAIL GOLF CLUB Dear Eagle County Junior Golfers, The Vail Golf Club Junior Golf programming for the 2016 summer will be offered through the First Tee of Eagle County instructional camps, The Vail Golf Club Junior Camps, PGA Jr. League and the First Tee Player's Series. Please read on for all the junior golf programs the Vail Golf Club is offering this summer. The First Tee Junior Programs The Par, Pardie, and Birdie Programs will take place on Wednesdays and Fridays starting June 15. Registration is available now on www.thefirstteeofeaglecounty.com. Camps will focus on golf skills, life skills and other games and fitness activities to engage the kids and encourage safety, fun and learning in a golf setting. The Vail Golf Club Junior Golf Camps Vail Golf Club will be offering two- and three-day camps, as we have the past several years, in June, July and August. Juniors will come from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Tuesday through Thursday. Groups will be divided by age for registration purposes, but adjustments are made for siblings and based on ability level. Camps will focus on golf skills, life skills and other games and fitness activities to engage the kids and encourage safety, fun and learning in a golf setting. Please visit www.vailrec.com to see schedules and register. PGA Junior League For the last nine years, the First Tee of Eagle County has offered a Monday afternoon Player's League. This was a program that offered junior golfers the opportunity to be on a team coached by a golf professional and to play some of the beautiful courses in our valley. The PGA Golf Professionals in Eagle County, who have administered The First Tee Player's League in the past, recently met and decided to transition to the PGA Junior League. In 2011, the PGA of America launched a national program called PGA Junior League. The concept was to create something like baseball's Little League, but for golf. This program has seen tremendous growth throughout the country and in Colorado. Many of the parameters are the same. Junior golfers, ages 13 and under, will participate on a team of 10-12 players, receive weekly instruction from a PGA Golf Professional and will have the opportunity to play other courses in weekly matches here in Eagle County. The price has been set at $175.00 per child, same as last year. We believe that the changes in format will help us to create a positive, encouraging, and more inclusive experience. The nine-hole format will now be scored in a scramble format. Eight kids travel as a team, then two kids from our team will play against two kids from the other team on each hole. They earn a point for each hole that they win. Every three holes, players have the option to sub in a teammate. Those who are waiting to play their three holes are coaching, encouraging, reading putts, tending the flagstick, and more. The parents and coaches stay on the cart path and are mostly quiet, only there if a need arises. There is an opportunity for some of the kids to move on to compete at a larger regional level and even potentially play in a national championship. The benefits of this new program are that more kids will be able to participate each week, and we believe the format of the competition will be more fun. For more information or to register, go to: www.pgajlg.com. For a two-minute commercial spot: https://vimeo.com/139583208 For a 10-minute parental informational video: https://vimeo.com/154789845 Here is the direct link to register for the Vail Golf Club team: https://pgajlg.sportngin.com/register/form/506926199 The deadline to register is May 15. Matches will be on Monday afternoons throughout June and July. Finally, we want to encourage a strong level of commitment and participation from our players and parents. To make this program successful, we all need to be able to field full teams for each event. Parents are needed to help supervise a group during competitions as players from each team will be spread between four or five foursomes. Parents are encouraged to participate as spectators (from the cart path). The First Tee of Eagle County Tournament Player's Series Since PGA Junior League is only for junior golfers aged 13 and younger (9 years old is the recommended youngest age, but exceptions can be made for skilled younger players), our group felt that we still need to offer something for our older junior golfers. We plan to call this The First Tee Tournament Player's Series. These events will be open to junior golfers, ages 17 and younger, and sign up for each tournament will be done individually through the First Tee Denver Chapter website, or better yet, by calling the host course golf shop. These will be more competitive individual play tournaments intended for junior golfers who can score and walk nine holes and keep up playing their own ball. These tournaments will be completely separate from the PGA Junior League. Here is the schedule: Red Sky Ranch Tuesday, June 21 Cordillera Tuesday, June 28 Vail Golf Club Tuesday, July 12 Gypsum Creek Tuesday, July 26 Format: Individual nine-hole stroke play - walking, no riding carts Age Groups: Boys and girls divisions 11-­13 years (course length: 2500-­2750 yards - boys and girls) 14-­17 years (3000-3250 yards - boys, 2500-­2750 - girls) Entry Fee: $20 per player - to register, go to www.thefirstteeofeaglecounty.com  Additional Information: Groups of three players when possible for speed of play Volunteer or parent chaperone with each group Awards - trophies for top three players in each division Maximum stroke rule of 10 per hole For questions on Vail Golf Club junior programs, please contact Head Professional Nathan Mead at nathanmead@pga.com or 774-722-3417. About the Vail Golf Club The Vail Golf Club, operated by the Vail Recreation District, is nestled at the base of the Gore Mountain Range and presents golfers with a unique 18-hole, par 71 experience at 8,200 feet of elevation. The golf club is open to the public and offers a full service golf shop, group and corporate outings, professional instruction, launch monitor, driving range, practice area, golf swing analysis, club rentals and demo days. A new clubhouse is currently under construction with completion anticipated this fall. About the Vail Recreation District The Vail Recreation District's mission is to offer diverse and exceptional recreation opportunities that enhance the physical, social and emotional well-being of all its residents and guests. The VRD aims to help Vail Valley residents and visitors pursue their recreational passions by providing the following outlets for competition in summer and winter via a running and a mountain bike race series, numerous tournaments and/or leagues for hockey, volleyball, lacrosse, softball, golf, tennis, soccer, flag football, broomball, figure skating and rugby; venues like Dobson Ice Arena, Vail Golf Club, Vail Nordic Center, Vail Gymnastics Center, Vail Nature Center, Vail Skatepark, Vail Tennis Center, Community Programming, Vail's Imagination Station and use of additional gyms, playing fields and the surrounding White River National Forest via collaboration with local entities; sports classes and camps for youth, adults and families; and opportunities to learn about and appreciate our Rocky Mountain environment through guided activities, classes and camps.  STAY CONNECTED: