Nationwide Tour players participate in kids clinic

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The future of golf took on a decidedly younger look Tuesday afternoon as Nationwide Tour players played host to the Robins Federal Credit Union Junior Clinic at Jennings Mill Country Club, site of this week's Athens Regional Foundation Classic.

Nationwide Tour player Ryan Hybl gets a high five during the kids clinic. (Chemycz/PGA TOUR)

More than 50 youngsters, ranging in age from 4 to 12 had a chance to show their stuff and get some hands-on instruction from several Nationwide Tour players.

Professionals Nick Malinowski, Garrett Osborn, Ryan Hybl, Chris Kirk and Brendon Todd showed the kids just how it's done and then watched as the little ones took turns hitting balls on the driving range.

"It's important to promote golf to the young kids," said Malinowski, father of one. "I had one kid who couldn't get it airborne when we started, and by the time he was done, he was belting it out there 100 to 150 yards. That was awesome. I could tell he was genuinely excited and it was a blast for me."

The clinic was fun for the players like Hybl, a former assistant coach at the University of Georgia, who would spend his summers hosting and teaching at local golf camps.

"The more kids that we can get involved in golf, the better. We only get five minutes with them, and you'd like to give them two days of your time so they could understand the fundamentals a little bit better," he said. "There are some good swings out here, too. I had one little girl named Megan, maybe four or five years old, and she had an awesome swing. I told her parents that they need to keep her on the right track because she's got a lot of good things ahead of her."

Nationwide Tour player Garrett Osborn works with a young boy on his swing. (Chemycz/PGA TOUR)

Kirk, the 2007 Ben Hogan Award winner as the nation's top collegiate player, also has some brighter days on his future as well. A rookie on the Nationwide Tour this year, Kirk made the cut in his only two starts this year. He tied for 15th at the HSBC New Zealand PGA Championship and then tied for 26th the next week at the Moonah Classic in Australia.

"Maybe some of these kids will be out here playing the Nationwide Tour or the PGA TOUR in 15-20 years," he said. "These kids are hitting balls, and you might tell them one little thing that helps them. All of a sudden, they hit one great and they think you've fixed it for them. It's so great to see their faces light up when they hit a good one."

Malinowski, a 33-year old Texas resident, hopes that his fellow pros will harken back to their younger days and volunteer for clinics each week on Tour.

"We're all out here working hard at a job, and sometimes we can get into a routine for a bit, and it's hard to adjust to that," he said. "I think they'd all enjoy it if they had the chance. Seeing those kids smile and remembering what it was like to hit the ball and then chase it and have some fun puts it all in perspective."