108 Mile resident Lynden Jeffrey started his golf season off by attending a high-performance golf camp in Vancouver in mid-April.
His mom, Caroline, notes that camp organizers normally only allow 12 youth to go, but the they are trying to help Zone 8, so they increased the number to 14 this year.
Lynden says it was a great experience and he learned a lot of good information at the camp, including the importance of eating properly.
“I also learned not to get mad when I’m playing because once you get mad, it’s hard to get out of your system. The mental part of the game was the big thing I got out of the camp.”
Noting it was the first time he had been to a camp like this, Lynden says he learned things that will stay with him for the rest of his golfing career.
Amazingly, the Grade 9 student has been playing competitive golf since he was nine years old, and is currently playing against people who are two years older than he is.
His first competition of this season was in Summerland, where he was playing against 57 golfers on April 21. He ended up taking the overall low net bragging rights.
Noting he was competing against two guys who were a couple years older, with zero handicaps and had already been playing for a month, Lynden says he started off with three bogeys and was worried about embarrassing himself. However, the don’t-get-mad lesson kicked in and he turned his game around.
“I was trying so hard not to get mad, and they started getting mad.... I ended up beating them with the mental game.”
He says the best part of his game is his putting. His driving is normally pretty good until he starts getting over-confident, he adds.
Noting he is being coached by 108 Resort Golf Course pro Andy Wahnschaff, Lynden says he has to work on his accuracy.
“I didn’t have lessons when I first started, so I was just swinging the way it felt good. In my mind, I felt like the target was way over to the left and then all of my shots were going to the right.
“My body was lined up for the target, but my lower body had too much movement.”
Those are the things he has to work on with Wahnschaff.
Lynden has set some golfing goals and, of course, he wants to become a golf pro and make the “tour.”
However, he is definitely interested in getting a university golf scholarship, so he can get his education paid for, and then decide what he wants to do after that.
The 15-year-old will still be able to compete in the junior category until he reaches his 19th birthday, and then he’ll have to make the big decisions.
On the circuit
Lynden competed against 56 golfers (18 years and under) at the Salmon Arm Golf and Country Club on May 5. He tied for 16th place overall and got the low net in his division (16 and under).
The next day at the Vernon Golf and Country Club, he went up against 74 golfers (18 and under) and tied for sixth place overall.
He teed off at the Kelowna Golf and Country Club on May 11 against 74 golfers (18 and under) and tied for 12th overall. He was also second low net in 14- to 16-year-old division, with a round of six over par 78.
On May 12 at Kelowna Springs, he played against 66 golfers and tied for 10th overall (18 and under). He shot a four over 75 and was the first low net in 14-16 division.