USGA Hosts Year's First MGA/MetLife Clinic
FAR HILLS, N.J. (July 24, 2013) –An enthusiastic group of more than 85 young golfers took part in the year's first MGA/MetLife Youth Clinic, 
hosted by the USGA at their headquarters in Far Hills, N.J. Groups were on hand from The First Tee of Metropolitan New York’s Plainfield West and Essex County facilities, as well as from the LPGA/USGA Girls Golf program. The youngsters experienced a fun day learning about golf history and technology, followed by a golf exhibition put on by First Tee ambassador and Honorary Lifetime PGA Member Dennis Walters. Also on hand was MetLife’s affable mascot, Snoopy, who greeted the youngsters and posed for pictures throughout the day.
hosted by the USGA at their headquarters in Far Hills, N.J. Groups were on hand from The First Tee of Metropolitan New York’s Plainfield West and Essex County facilities, as well as from the LPGA/USGA Girls Golf program. The youngsters experienced a fun day learning about golf history and technology, followed by a golf exhibition put on by First Tee ambassador and Honorary Lifetime PGA Member Dennis Walters. Also on hand was MetLife’s affable mascot, Snoopy, who greeted the youngsters and posed for pictures throughout the day.
Participants were welcomed by USGA Assistant Manager of Marketing & Outreach Kim Gianetti, who informed the students on the actives that take place at Golf House and the role which the USGA plays in the game. They then received a guided tour of the USGA Museum and the Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History, watched demonstrations of some of the machines used to test new golf equipment at the USGA Equipment Testing Center, and rolled some putts alongside Snoopy with replica putters from the early 1900s on the USGA’s Pynes Putting Course, which is modeled after the famed Himalayas course at St. Andrew’s in Scotland.
At the Equipment Testing Center, the youngsters learned about the ways the USGA determines if a piece of equipment adheres to the Rules of Golf from Senior Technical Director John Spitzer, the head of the USGA Research and Test Center. Spitzer gave demonstrations of the machines used to test new golf equipment, explained the aerodynamics of a golf ball, and cut golf balls in half to show how many layers certain golf balls have, and in in the case of balata golf balls how tightly packed a group of rubber bands was around a liquid core.
The young golfers were then treated to lunch and a clinic of trick shots put on Walters, who was left paralyzed from the waist down after a 1974 accident. Despite being physically challenged, he has persevered to continue playing the sport he loves so much and puts on about 100 clinics worldwide each year from his customized golf cart that allows him to swing from what he calls “unusual lies.” Walters used his own personal experience as an example to challenge those in attendance to do something in their life that perhaps they thought was impossible, proving that with hard work, dedication and perseverance each individual can achieve success at anything.
The event was the first in a series of youth clinics conducted annually by the MGA Foundation and MetLife. The next clinic will be held at MetLife Stadium on Monday, August 7.
MetLife has been a partner of the MGA for more than 30 years and is the sponsor of eight MGA championships as well as the MGA Calendar of Competitions. MetLife has a long history of community service and supporting MGA Foundation junior golf initiatives. For more information on MGA/MetLife Youth Clinics, please contact Jeff Day of the MGA Foundation at jday@mgagolf.org or 914-347-4653. For more information on the USGA and the Dennis Walters Golf Show, please visit www.USGA.org and www.DennisWalters.com.
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