When Sam Puryear Jr. was the executive director of the East Lake Golf Academy in Atlanta, he routinely preached the importance of getting juniors involved in golf.
Several years later, he's still preaching the same message, and that's one reason he's excited about next week's Wyndham Championship Junior Golf Clinic. The clinic will be at Winston Lake, the course where Puryear grew up learning the game from his father and others, including the late Earnest Morris Jr., a former head pro who was adamant about teaching the game to juniors.
The free clinic will be Aug. 15 at 11 a.m.
"If we can get 100 or even 200 kids there, that would be great," said Puryear, who has put on a clinic at Winston Lake each of the last three summers. "It wasn't that long ago when Winston Lake had an amazing junior program and was kind of a hub for that, so I'm hoping it can approach those kinds of numbers again."
Puryear is back in his home state after four years as the men's golf coach at Michigan State, where his teams won a Big Ten title and an NCAA regional title and he was the 2008 Big Ten coach of the year.
He's now the director of golf operations at Queens University in Charlotte, and he also runs the Professional Golf Management program there. Most of his staff from Queens will be at the clinic helping out.
Puryear jumped into coaching after leaving Atlanta, He was named Stanford's first full-time assistant in men's golf in 2006 and in two years helped the Cardinal win two Pac-10 titles and attain Golfweek's No. 1 ranking.
He moved on to Michigan State but left after four years to be closer to home, to help attend to an ailing family member.
His relationship with the university continues, however, through outreach junior golf programs he started in the Detroit area.
Also joining Puryear at the clinic will be Joseph Bramlett, a PGA Tour rookie who starred at Stanford during Puryear's time there. Bramlett and Tiger Woods, are now the only black players on the PGA Tour.
"I think Joe can really give the kids something to think about," Puryear said. "He comes from a mixed family with his father black and his mother white, and he's trying to make a name for himself on tour."
Puryear said it will be fun for the kids to see and hear Bramlett hit a golf ball.
Bramlett has made nine cuts in 19 tournaments this season and will play in the Wyndham, scheduled Aug. 18-21.
"A tour player hitting a golf ball has a different sound, and the kids will see up close what Joe can do," Puryear said.
Puryear hopes that the clinic will spark interest in the game for those attending.
"The more we can expose kids to golf, the better chance of these kids playing the game now and even later in life," Puryear said.
Around the green
- The Webb Simpson Junior Championship, an AJGA tournament, is scheduled Aug. 15-18 at Tanglewood Park's Championship Course. This will be the second year of the tournament, won last year by Chad Cox of Charlotte. Among those expected to contend in the field of 96 will be Stanhope Johnson, a rising senior at Bishop McGuinness who has committed to N.C. State, and High Point's Davis Womble, who has committed to Wake Forest. In the girls division, defending champ Andrea Unson of Murrieta, Calif., has committed to play.
- MasterCard and the PGA Tour have teamed up to offer fans chances to be one-day members at TPC courses around the country. The program will run until October. For information, go to www.tpc.com/MasterCard.
- Winston-Salem's Logan Jackson, a member at Old Town, shot 76-76-82 to finish tied for 46th at the British Senior Amateur at Royal Portrush. Chip Lutz of the United States won the tournament, shooting 72-71-71 to finish at 2 under. Paul Simson of Raleigh, the 2010 champion, tied for 24th place.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement