On July 7, SCGA Junior hosted a clinic in partnership with the 125th SCGA Amateur Championship and 10th SCGA Women’s Amateur Championship at The Saticoy Club. Our community was incredibly fortunate to have the following players serve as role models and mentors for our rising junior golfers:
- Kate Villegas (UCLA Women’s Golf)
- Maria Loza-Ortiz (Titleist Staff)
- Jadon Soong (Junior Golfer, 125th SCGA Amateur Champion)
- Kyle An (UCLA Men’s Golf)
- Shams Jahangir-Arshad (Oregon Men’s Golf)
SCGA Junior participants and Recovery Shot’s Youth Golf Program attended the clinic. Our day started at the driving range- a place our mentors spend a lot of time practicing. However, this session looked a little different, with about 40 kids intently watching swings and calling out fun “trick shots” they wanted to see our mentors hit. The laughter, excitement and inspiration were my favorite part of the range portion. Jeff Ninneman, SCGA Executive Director, MC’d the range and continued to share highlights from the mentors’ golf and life experiences.
Following the range, the junior golfers transitioned to the short-game area, where each mentor led a putting or chipping station. Activities included bunker shots, green reading, competition, and high/low pitch shots. Each mentor coached the juniors, providing golf instruction, positive feedback and encouragement. During the stations, the juniors could ask the mentors questions about their golf journeys and advice on improving. The mental game was a common topic, with many mentors strongly emphasizing patience, focus and having fun!
Next up was our alternate shot competition, where five juniors partnered up with our role models in a two-hole match. The mentors calmed the juniors’ nerves and it was great to see them working as a team on the course. The encouragement and partnership from the mentors is a core memory for our juniors; one junior even shared, “It’s not about the golf today.” As a coach, it was rewarding to see the kids focus and show up for their team. The match resulted in a tie, which was broken with a chip-off. Jadon Soong and junior Kyler Chen clinched the win in the alternate shot competition. A few days later, Soong won the 125th SCGA Championship!
At the end of the clinic, the kids got autographs from their mentors on a custom poster featuring the beautiful course. Everyone left with smiles and continued to share their favorite part on the bus ride home.
Our junior golfers view these players as role models and mentors, helping to create big dreams and aspirations for the young golfers who attend. We are so grateful to The Saticoy Club and our mentors for providing unforgettable opportunities for our junior golfers.
Photos from the event can be found here.
-Lauren Kyaw
Assistant Director, Player and Youth Development, San Fernando Valley