Local youths tee off for free golf

Although it may never replace classic playground sports likebaseball and basketball, golf has become a popular pastime foryoungsters in Brooklyn and beyond.

In the last 11 years, the City Parks Foundation has offered golfprograms to more than 12,000 children between the ages of six and17, providing free lessons and a place to play across thecity.

On Thursday, August 11, the program was in full swing at the JuniorGolf Center in Dyker Beach Park, open since 2008, as Brooklynyouths learned the fundamentals of chipping, putting and drivingthere. But according to director of sports at the City ParksFoundation Mike Silverman, that’s not all that these golf studentsare getting.

Golf teaches kids a lot of life skills – integrity, honesty,Silverman said. There are no refs calling penalties. They have tocall them themselves.

For more information on free golf lessons for kids, call theCity Parks Foundation at 718-259-2999 or visit them online atwww.cityparksfoundation.org.