By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Golf is more than a game to Jim Andrews of Geneseo.

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 first session,” Andrews said.

With the great response that first year, Andrews thought the clinic should become an annual event and it now includes 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 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 inquires 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.”

TOURNAMENT RESULTS:

-BOYS – second grade, first place, Bo Oberle, shot 43; third grade, first place, Brock Oberle, shot 35; fourth and fifth grades division, first place, Brandton Spensley, shot 43; fourth and fifth grades, second place, Carver Allen, 46; fourth and fifth grades, third place, Gavin Galloway; sixth grade, first place, Declan Gillespie; sixth grade, second place, Ethan Hepner, 57; seventh grade, first place, Owen Pollock, 43.

-GIRLS – second and third grades, first place, Sadie Abbott with a 59; Eliana Emmerson, second with a 66; fourth and fifth grades, first place, Hadley Abbott, 44; Adalyn Smith, second place, 61; sixth and seventh grades, first place, Annie Reed, 52; Ella Hepner and Avery Emmerson, tied for second place with 56.