Head Start
FRANKLIN TWP — Practice on the course and experience with pressure will help any golfer's game.
Those who competed on the U.S. Kids Golf Tour this summer received plenty of both.
The Pittsburgh Summer Local Tour Championship was held at Lake Arthur Country Club on Saturday, concluding a string of eight events for aspiring golfers in the area.
Henry “Tre” Bartony III, 11, of Butler, golfed in every U.S. Kids event this summer and understands the value of playing in a tournament atmosphere compared to a practice round.
“It's fun doing this because it gets your nerves ready,” Bartony explained. “If you want to ever be good, you have to be able to deal with competition.”
Bartony admitted he gets nervous “sometimes.” However, he wasn't bothered on Saturday.
He won the 11-year-old boys division with a 7-over-par 79, four strokes clear of Pittsburgh's Cameron Recchi.
It was his third win of the summer and he rolled to the division's Player of the Year honors.
Saturday marked the second summer in a row Lake Arthur has hosted the Tour Championship.
“It's obviously a very nice course and very welcoming,” said tournament director Debbie Loughry. “It's great, it's flat and very well suited for the kids, too.”
Playing at a variety of venues in the area is another benefit to the young golfers.
Aside from Lake Arthur, stops on the tour included Lenape Heights Golf Club, Grove City Country Club, Stoughton Acres Golf Club, Birdsfoot Golf Club, Oakview Golf Club, Hillcrest Country Club and Shannopin Country Club.
“It's really fun,” said Kennedy Johnston of Cranberry Township. “I get to play courses that I (usually) don't get to play because they're country clubs.”
Johnston settled for fourth place on Saturday, but finished as Player of the Year in the girls 12-14 division. She won four tournaments, including a round of 88 to open the summer at Lenape Heights.
It was the first full year participating on tour for Johnston, who said she enjoyed the competitive aspect of tournament play.“It makes me focus more,” she explained, “so I don't joke around as much as I normally do.”U.S. Kids Golf is a national organization featuring local tours all over the country. It even spans beyond the border, with a couple of circuits in Canada and New Zealand, as well.“It gets them used to playing competitive golf,” said Loughry. “A lot of these kids want to play in high school and some of them aspire to college or even professionally. This is their start to see if they really like competitive golf.“Some of the kids come one time and we never see them again because it's just not their thing,” she added, “but a lot of kids thrive and they come back year after year. We've had a group of kids together for three years now.”The desire to perform well against their peers often drives the golfers to hone their game more often throughout the summer.“Sometimes, when you play against kids from other areas you realize, 'Oh wow, there's a lot of talent out there. I really need to work if I want to be able to compete,'” Loughry said.“Some of the other kids are really good, which pushes me to be a better golfer,” Johnston agreed. “When new kids come in, it's tough to know.”Natalie Welsh, 12, of Valencia, has provided stiff competition for Johnston all summer. Welsh has three second-place finishes to her credit, including a runner-up showing at Lake Arthur on Saturday after carding a 90. She took second in the girls 12-14 points standings, as well.Welsh said she's had fun on the tour this summer. She enjoys the balance of camaraderie and competition on the course.“Everybody is really friendly,” said Welsh. “Here, I get more of a competitive feeling and I think it pushes me to do better.”A kinship amongst the golfers is common — and so are low scores.“They want to beat each other. They don't want the other kid to win,” said Loughry, “but when the tournament is done, it's like, 'Good job.'“They're happy for each other that they've done well and that's nice to see.”Jason Li, of Cranberry Township, fired Saturday's best round, a 76, en route to a 14-stroke victory in the 13-14 boys division. Jimmy Ellis, of Butler, shot an 82 to claim first in the Boys 12 division. Ellis also took Player of the Year honors.For winning their divisions and posting qualifying scores, Ellis, Bartony and Johnston are expected to receive invitations to the U.S. Kids World Championship played at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina next August.
Butler County golfers who earned medals Saturday:Girls 8-9 — Paige Scott, of Butler, 46, second place.Girls 12-14 — Natalie Welsh, of Valencia, 90, second place.Boys 10 — Noah Kumar, of Mars, 45, third place.Boys 11 — Henry Bartony III, of Butler, 79, first place.Boys 12 — Jimmy Ellis, of Butler, 82, first place.Boys 13-14 — Jason Li, of Cranberry Township, 76, first place.Butler County golfers who received awards based on accumulated points for the season:Girls 8-9 — Paige Scott, of Butler, Top 5.Girls 12-14 — Kennedy Johnston, of Cranberry Township, Player of the Year; Natalie Welsh, of Valencia, Top 5.Boys 10 — Noah Kumar, of Mars, Top 5.Boys 11 — Henry Bartony III, of Butler, Player of the Year.Boys 12 — Jimmy Ellis, of Butler, Player of the Year; Zach Gehm, of Harmony, Top 5.Boys 13-14 — Jason Li, of Cranberry Township, Top 5; Adam Bushee, of Cranberry Township, Top 5.
