EDISON, N.J. (August 20, 2012)– Historic Plainfield Country Club, site of this year's Met Open, hosted a group of 65 enthusiastic junior golfers from The First Tee on Monday, August 20, for the third installment of this year’s MGA/MetLife Youth Clinics. The clinic was held in conjunction with the MGA/MetLife Caddie Scholarship Pro-Am at the 97th Met Open Championship. The youngsters were from The First Tee programs at Essex County in Newark, N.J. and the Plainfield—West 9, which borders Plainfield Country Club in Edison, N.J. The junior golfers were joined by MetLife’s friendly canine mascot, Snoopy, for a day of fun and instruction.

Instruction was moderated by The First Tee at Plainfield—West 9 Program Director Billy Castner and Plainfield assistant golf professional Toby Hearn. Participants enjoyed full-swing instruction along with distance control on the practice greens, which was put to the test on a four-hole putting course. They also went through a station called the “Cyclone,” which is designed to use different physical movements to give juniors the feel for techniques of the golf swing. As part of the “Cyclone,” the youngsters worked as teams in tug-o-war to develop strength and power; a hop/skip/slide drill to create body awareness; a step-n-throw drill to emphasize body rotation; and the soccer pass to encourage a plant and drive.

Pictures with Snoopy and some friendly competition were all part of the day, as well as a visit from MetLife Senior Vice President of Employee Benefits Tony Nugent and 2009 Met Open champion Andrew Giuliani.

The MGA/MetLife Youth Clinics are conducted as part of a series of youth diversity initiatives conducted by the MGA and MetLife as part of their 31-year-old partnership, one of the longest-running in golf. Earlier events this year were held at the LPGA Sybase Match Play Championship a Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone, N.J., and at the USGA’s Golf House headquarters in Far Hills, N.J.

For more information, please contact Jeff Day or Jeanne McCooey at the MGA (914-347-4653).

About the MGA Foundation: The MGA’s charitable foundation was established in 1992 to “build a foundation for the future of golf” through innovative programs that reach out to young people from all cultures and economic backgrounds. Through The First Tee of Metropolitan New York, GOLFWORKS internships, junior clinics, caddie academies and junior tournaments, the MGA Foundation provides opportunities for youngsters to experience golf and integrate the game into their lives. The MGA Foundation also conducts regular seminars to provide club leaders and operators with valuable skills and information.