Dillon Jonke has golfed nearly half his life. He was drawn in early by the serenity of the sport. Last year, at the worldly age of 10, he found a new outlet for his sociable side — in the same sport.
The PGA of America, home to golf professionals across the country including the 200-plus in Hawaii, introduced PGA Junior League Golf in 2011. It is the major youth initiative of PGA REACH, its charitable foundation.
Seventy girls and boys age 13 and under, from four of the organization’s 41 sections, played the first year. The next year there were 1,500, then 9,000. That total doubled the following year.
By the time Maui joined last year (Oahu started in 2014), 30,000 kids were playing, from April to July, in 48 states.
David Leadbetter pro Renee Lee, Jonke’s captain/coach at Wailea, characterizes league golf as “the perfect bridge” for a child transitioning from the driving range to the course … “with a little help from a teammate.”
Four two-person teams play Ryder-Cup style, with numbered jerseys, in a scramble format. Substitutions are encouraged and those not playing join in to help with strategy, reading putts and pace of play.
Matches are nine holes and triple bogey is the maximum score. Golfers are usually off the course in a little over two hours. Instruction can take longer.
“PGA Junior League allows all players to showcase their abilities and also partner with the younger players,” Lee says. “This allows the older kids to become role models. It is a fun and competitive environment, we call it ‘funitive.’”
The PGA calls it “a fun, social and inclusive opportunity to learn and enjoy the game. … At its core, PGA Junior League Golf is a group of local golf teams who play a series of games against each other, utilizing a nurturing and social scramble format.”
The organization, which offers scholarships for kids who need help with costs, wants its pros to provide a “welcoming environment for all that encourages skill and character development.”
Its idea is to create an “alternative, social golf format.” Its focus, beyond “fun, recreation, good health and sportsmanship,” is to provide “a feeder system to transition youth golfers to existing junior golf programs.”
Jonke, about to start sixth grade at Kihei Charter School, explains it better.
“I like golf because it’s so peaceful and it’s just about you,” he says. “If you do something wrong, somebody else is not going to suffer, just you.
“In PGA Junior League, I like how even if you make a mistake your partner can help you and get you right back on your game.”
Michelle Wie, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Lexi Thompson apparently agree. They are the Official PGA Junior League Ambassadors.
Wailea just won its second Maui championship in as many tries, beating out five other teams from The Dunes at Maui Lani, Ka‘anapali and Kapalua.
On Oahu, Honolulu Country Club just won the Private League over Hoakalei, Waialae, Mid-Pacific and Oahu. Mililani captured the Public League, edging Kapolei, Ko Olina, Kaneohe Klipper, First Tee-Hawaii Country Club and Joint Base Pearl Harbor.
Next year, the hope is that Kauai and the Island of Hawaii will join in.
This year, Maui coaches are in the process of selecting an all-star team to play against the Oahu All-Stars. The Aloha Section PGA is working on fundraising to help with costs for a state playoff.
Nationally, there will be eight regionals and the winning teams head to Scottsdale, Ariz., for the national championship in November. California has won three of the first five titles, with Georgia grabbing the others.
For now, Wailea is the team to beat in Hawaii. Lee says her players “practice with a purpose, communicate and have fun in the process.”
Jonke wouldn’t change a thing, aside from adding more players. After two wins in two years, he is a happy believer.
“I think Wailea won two years in a row because we have good players on the team and our coach is amazing,” he says. “We all work together and have fun. We never not get along. We always hang out and have fun. The Wailea team is amazing how we work together.”
