By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current
The Andrews Junior Golf Tournament is the result of the care and compassion an older gentleman has for the game.
Several years ago, Jim Andrews, Geneseo, organized a free junior golf clinic for youth ages 7-16 at the Geneseo Country Club. That clinic became an annual event and later included a youth tournament held every summer.
This year there were 17 youth golfers, in six different age groups from first to eighth grade, who participated in the tournament.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The junior golf clinic and tournament are a result of Jim Andrews’ love of the game, and golf is much more than a game to him.
In his quest to teach young people golf etiquette and respect for others, Andrews organized a free junior golf clinic at the Geneseo Country Club several summers ago for youth ages 7-16. That clinic became an annual event and eventually included a tournament for the youth, also held every summer.
An avid golfer himself, he said his goal was not only to teach young people golf etiquette and respect for others on the course, but throughout their lives.
The clinics are held each summer and include one session each week where golf etiquette is presented through a video before participants take part in chipping and putting. The young people are divided into age groups.
“We let them play a little bit on the course after the second session,” Andrews said.
With the great response that first year, Andrews thought the clinic should become an annual event and include a golf tournament for the youth.
“The kids seem to have a good time and their parents follow them along on the course, watching them play,” he said. “It is beneficial to everyone involved.”
What Andrews did not know was that in the second year of the clinic and tournament, one of the volunteers in the clinic, Matt Biddle, approached the board of the Geneseo County Club asking the tournament be named the Andrews Junior Golf Tournament.
Andrews was not aware of the tournament name change until the first year of the tournament when he was given a plaque of recognition for his dedication to youth golf programs.
He did get somewhat teary-eyed when the plaque was given to him and said his hope is that the clinic and tournament will continue for many years to come.
In recent years, another volunteer, Ryan Gillespie, has taken charge of the tournament and Geneseo High School girls’ golf coach Jon Murray has taken charge of the clinic, and Andrews, who now deals with health issues, helps with both clinic and tournament.
Gillespie commented about the value of the clinic and tournament and said, “I had played in the old Geneseo Country Club Jr. Tournament years ago, way back when I was in eighth grade. When my wife, Erin, and I moved our family back to Geneseo in the summer of 2015 we rejoined the country club. That is when I met Jim Andrews.”
Andrews asked Gillespie if he would help out with the youth golf clinic that he offered each summer and Gillespie agreed. The next year Andrews asked Gillespie to take over the tournament.
“The goal of the tournament is to simply get kids out on the course having a lot of fun, showing good sportsmanship and showing their parents what a nice time can be had with the game of golf at our club,” Gillespie said. “Everyone seems to have a great time and I see shots from kids I couldn’t have dreamed of hitting back when I played in the tournament.”
Gillespie admits the tournament is a lot of work, and he added, “But it always is so much fun when you see the first fist pump from a boy or girl draining a putt or the smiles on their faces as the parents and members of the club cheer for them as they receive their plaques and medals.”
“Gillespie said he was aware the junior golf tournament took on the name of the Andrews Junior Golf Tournament in 2015 in honor of the many years of volunteerism that Andrews has put in helping kids learn the sport of golf.
“He’s been running the summer golf clinic for years and is always kind to the kids at the club,” Gillespie said. “I’ve personally appreciated how he treats my own sons, Gavin and Declan. He shakes their hands, asks them, ‘how are you doing young men?”, and asks about their games. He treats them, and all the youth of the club, like they’re real members and golfers out there. They walk a little taller after their interactions with Jim.”
Ryan Gillespie is stepping down as director of the tournament this year, and the new directors are Mike and Ashley Smith.
When asked why he was wiling to take charge of the tournament, Gillespie said, “I took over the tournament for the first time in August of 2016. I was born and raised in Geneseo and I had a Jr. Membership at the Country Club while I was in high school. After college I had lived in the Chicagoland area for 10+ years before the summer of 2015 when I moved back to Geneseo with my young family. The next summer we joined the country club and when approached about taking over the tournament, I was happy to help out. My boys were only 6 and 4 back then so I thought being involved in the kid's tournament was an easy way to introduce them to the game I love to play.”
And why he is stepping down as director - Gillespie answered, “This year was the tenth tournament I've overseen. My oldest son (Gavin) is a 16-year-old sophomore now and my youngest son (Declan) is almost 14 and in the 8th grade. Declan played his final year in the tournament this year and I thought it was fitting for that to be my final year too. As any parents with active kids know, the weekends get busier and busier during the summer and it was becoming hard for me to find a good date that I could schedule the tournament on. Mike and Ashley Smith have graciously volunteered to take over the tournament starting in 2026. They have two young daughters who love to play and they will be great tournament directors for the kids. I look forward to coming out and volunteering to help keep score or support the kids in the future.”
2025 TOURNAMENT RESULTS:
-Boys – third grade and under – Brooks Oberle, first grade, first place, shot 44. Asher Russelburg, third grade, second place, shot 46;