Once a week Connor Campbell and Drew Maser go out and play 9 holes of golf.
Sounds like a typical summer day for many Florida friends, right?
Connor is 7. Drew is 5.
The two are some of the only youths in the Tampa Bay area to play a regular, weekly golf game.
Connor is an up and coming golfer in the area.
The second grader of Indian Rocks Christian School was named player of the year on the Tampa Tour last year, at age 6, and he travels throughout the country to play in tournaments.
"Connor averages a score of between 38 and 44 on 9 holes," said Pat McClanan Maser, PGA Professional at the Belleview Biltmore Country Club. "He has a professional swing and can chip and putt."
Connor just returned from the Jekyll Island Cup U.S. Kids Golf Tournament in Jekyll Island, Ga., and in July he will play the U.S. Kids World Championship at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, home of the U.S. Open.
We make Connor's golf tournaments family events, said Connor's father, Greg Campbell.
"We have fun," Greg said. "He loves it. We can't get him away from the course."
Connor is quite the golfing prodigy. However, he is not the only talent on the Biltmore greens.
Pat works with many excellent, young golfers, including Sophie Dembroski, a 2006 Northside Christian graduate. Sophie is Pat's sixth female student to gain a golf scholarship to college and will attend Anderson University in South Carolina this fall.
Pat and Bill Shriver, also a PGA Professional at the Belleview Biltmore, give lessons to all ages throughout the year and are hosting many summer camps.
Junior golf camps will be held from June 26 - 30 and July 17 - 21.
There are still available spaces, and we encourage kids of all ages who want to play to come out, Pat said.
In addition, Pat and Bill host a family clinic on Saturdays at 9 a.m. Pat teaches the women and Bill teaches the kids during this particular clinic.
"It gives families the option to come out and get a group lesson at an affordable price," Pat said.
Clinics are held throughout the summer for women, men and kids at the Belleview Biltmore. For more information about these events call 480-9049 or 215-5801.
