Kids come away from 3-day camp with golf skills

By Lynsi Musselman

Albany Kiwanis organization hosted a youth golf camp this past Monday through Wednesday for 20 aspiring young golfers.

Kiwanis Club member and avid golfer Ken Lawrence helped organize the event at the Albany Golf Club with Abilene Country Club golf director Jimmy Tidwell.

Abilene native and professional golfer Bob Estes helps supports a youth golf foundation that Tidwell and ACC head golf pro Brian Nagy helped create that led to the golf camp in Albany this week.

Nagy and Tidwell approached Lawrence and other Albany Kiwanis Club members who generously supported the first clinic ACC has put on away from their own course since 2009. 

Nagy, along with Wylie High School golf standout Karson Grigsby, instructed the three-day camp.

“The goal of the foundation is to host similar camps in towns within an hour of Abilene and spread the golf umbrella to those youth,” Nagy said. “The camp in Albany was a test to determine if the foundation does any more of these camps. The camp has been so successful that we are looking for fall dates to come back to instruct more clinics for youth and high school students.” 

Nagy said that the purpose of the clinic is to not only give younger students a taste of golf but to introduce sportsmanship, individual pressure, and self-motivation.

Grigsby added that this has been a great opportunity to teach kids and encourage them to come away with not just new skills in golf, but take what they learn and apply it in other areas.

Both Nagy and Grigsby said the support from parents of the Albany campers, members of the Albany Golf Club, and the Kiwanis Club was great and helps build support for the purpose of the foundation.