Young Macon Golfers Heading to Inaugural PGA Junior League Regionals

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A special group of young Macon golfers are Florida-bound
to play in the first-ever PGA Junior League Regionals.

Some say golf is a boring sport.  If you’re smart, you won’t say that to these kids.

“Most kids–they don’t like it,” says golfer Noah Zediker.  “Because I mean, they’re not good at it.  I mean, when you’re good at it, it’s really fun.”

Zediker is one of ten kids from Macon who will represent the city at the 2012 PGA Junior League Regionals in Ocala, Florida, this weekend.

This summer, the folks at Idle Hour and Healy Point both fielded teams, ages 6-13, in the Junior League program.

“This is actually a combination of both Healy Point and Idle Hour kids,” says Eric Reeves, with Healy Point.  “It’s the all-star team, so there’s some from each.  6 Healy Point kids and 4 Idle Hour kids on the team.”

“We’ve got great talent–both with Idle Hour and Healy Point,” says B.J. McCranie, with Idle Hour.  “Obviously, Healy Point has some great talent.  They went undefeated, but our kids are just as good, and we look forward to going down there and giving them some competition.”

The Junior League is modeled after Little League Baseball: a team focus without sacrificing the competitive element.

“It’s not an individual event,” says Reeves.  “I mean, if you hit a bad shot–you know, it’s a scramble format.  It’s a two-man scramble.  If a kid hits a bad shot, he’s got a partner there to back him up, and it’s broken down into three 3-hole segments to make up the nine holes.  You can get killed in the first three holes and still have a chance to win the next two segments.”

After collecting, dumping, and hitting thousands of golf balls since the summer began, these young golfers are ready to tee off in Florida.

“I hope that we just play good and win,” says Alessandro Cardalia.

“It’s pretty great that I have a chance to make my city proud of our Junior Golf League,” says Wesley Hanson.

“We hope we win,” says Dylan Steed.  “I think we have a pretty good team, so I think we have a pretty good chance.”

“I think we’ll have to try really hard and we’ll have to earn it,” says Jack Boltja.

“It’s going to be a little bit of a challenge, but I mean, we’re pretty good,” says Zediker. “I hope we win.”

The team will take on other teams from Tampa, Fort Myers, and Boca Raton at the Southeast Regional Championship this weekend. 

If they win, they’ll compete in the national championship at Chicago’s Cog Hill Golf and Country Club September 14th through 16th.