Thanks to a partnership between the Kenilworth Park District and a private golf instruction company, village children now have the chance to learn some basics of the game.
Park District commissioners approved a contract with The Golf Practice of Highland Park in February, after trial golf camp programs held by the company proved popular with Kenilworth residents, according to Park District Director Johnathan Kiwala.
Village residents contacted the Park District in 2015, asking if it would consider setting up golf classes for their children, he said. The district doesn’t have a golf course because it is small and relatively landlocked, but Park District staff researched the idea and reached out to The Golf Practice, he said.
“We talked to them and were intrigued,” he said.
Last August, the company held two trial “Golf Essentials” programs at the Park District’s Townley Field for children between the ages of five and 13, Kiwala said. Both 15-person classes were filled.
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“They ended up generating a significant amount of interest, and we got rave reviews from the community, asking when and how they could sign up for more classes,” he said.
Under the contract approved Feb. 25, Kenilworth residents can register their children for various summer camps that The Golf Practice holds at Canal Shores Golf Course in Evanston, and for camps it will hold at Townley Field in conjunction with other Park District summer camps.
Kenilworth residents won’t have to pay any extra charges as non-Canal Shores members to take part in the programs, Kiwala said.
Interest in the programs, which start in mid-June, has been steady, he said.
“It is an exciting partnership that will give Kenilworth residents access to golf-related programming within the Kenilworth community, and at several golf courses around the area,” Kiwala said. “The partnership presents a fantastic option for younger children who want to try the sport.”
For more information on The Golf Practice camps and courses, visit www.villageofkenilworth.org/2152/Park-District.
Twitter: @pioneer_kathy