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Stettler kids learn to golf from the pros

To celebrate Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions’ 25th anniversary, the company has become a founding partner
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Stettler and area kids got to learn some golf tips from professional golfers David Byrne

To celebrate Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions’ 25th anniversary, the company has become a founding partner with PGA Canada’s ATB Financial Classic in Calgary this summer.

As part of that sponsorship, Alberta Prairie asked to host a junior clinic at Pheasantback Golf Course on Tuesday, June 24.

Three golf pros – David Byrne, Trent Redfern, and Sean Shahi – came out to the golf course to teach two sessions to Stettler and area kids.

Participants learned to shoot and putt.

“These guys are really good. They’re not ordinary Sunday golfers. They’re big time money players,” said Bob Willis of Alberta Prairie. “We said to the people that run PGA Canada, ‘We want a junior clinic here for the kids of Stettler to experience this level of golf, and to rub shoulders with touring pros.’”

There were about five kids to a pro, and Willis said the three teachers were very excited to teach the kids.

“They were very, very good,” he said. “That’s part of their mandate, is to grow the game. And the way you grow the game is you involve the little ones, get them excited about golf.”

“A lot of them (the kids) seem to love it because these guys are playing on the tour in the next few years, and hopefully they’ll be on the PGA tour,” said Nicole Daly, tournament co-ordinator. “They’re going to give them instruction, talk to them a little bit.”

One of the golfers was from Canada, while the other two were from the U.S.

Alberta Prairie worked with Pheasantback and the Stettler Golf Club to make the event happen – Pheasantback provided the venue, and the golf club reached out to local golfers who were interested in the training event.

The Calgary tournament will take place at the Sirocco Golf Club from July 31 to August 3.