New program introduces kids to golf and a potential future on the course

EAST CONCORD, N.Y. — Golf is something you can get into really young, and many enjoy the game that much more after retirement. The First Green program helps promote golf from an early age in an academic setting.

“So today we have five different stations that the fifth-grade class Springville Elementary is coming to learn different things about the golf course and how it pertains to life in the classroom,” said course superintendent Trevor Ploetz.

Fifth graders are invited out to look at the science of geology, physics and a whole slew of things that are golf, but much more.

“For me, I’m a hands-on learner,” said Ploetz. “The more I can get my hands into something, I’m going to learn 100 times better than if I’m stuck in a classroom.”

He loves seeing the next generation check out the greens, the grounds equipment and a potential future here.

“Many, many different avenues. A lot of these kids are 10. So in four years, you know, they could be coming here looking for their first part-time job in the summertime,” he said.

It could be anything from working with the mowers, the kitchen or even aspiring to be a top flight pro.

“Golf is a game that you can play from four years old to 104 years old. And the sooner you can get kids involved in it, the better off,” he added.

That’s something Ploetz can really relate to.

“From the time I was 12, I was doing laps around here, either mowing things or just starting to help out,” he said.

“To grow the community is huge,” he said. “You know, the elementary school is three miles up the road. To be able to get them started and to get them coming out, it’s tremendous,” Ploetz continued.