Mattawa Area Youth Golf Association
(MAYGA)
The fairways and greens are snow
covered and the flags are put away for the winter.
Now that I am not on the course playing the game,
there is time for reflection on this past season,
particularly MAYGA. In its fourth summer, 72 young
people participated in weekly golf activities at the
Mattawa Golf and Ski Resort. Each Tuesday for 8 weeks
there were 3 sessions, set up according to the age
of the children that ranged from 6 to 17 years. A
school bus transported the golfers from town and back.
Once at the course, CPGA professional Glenn Cundari
gave instruction to half the participants while the
other half went out on the course to play. Instruction
included such aspects of the game as proper grip and
stance, driving the ball, putting, chipping and sand
trap play. Half way through each session, the groups
switched places so each got the opportunity for independent
practice. On the last day, all the members of MAYGA
were there at the same time, divided into foursomes
of varying ages and everyone played a 9-hole scramble.
After this the season came to an end with a spaghetti
lunch and a prize presentation to everyone.
This year the Board of Directors,
including Vala Monestime Belter, Dillon McGee, Lynn
Lavallee and Hazel Swindle were very pleased to have
Don Lemaire as part of the team. He acted as Fund
Raising and Special Events Coordinator. Without the
contributions of our generous sponsors including—Scotiabank,
Lions Club, Janveaux Forest Products, Old Timers Hockey,
Algonquin Nursing Home, Glen Cundari Golf Academy,
Mattawa Golf Course, and the special events, this
program would be unable to run. The Longest Day of
Golf raised a substantial amount of money, Glenn Cundari,
Mike Martel (owner of the golf course), Dillon McGee
and Ken Maki and several “celebrities”
golfed from sunup to sundown, playing over 100 holes.
Members of MAYGA and the celebrities each got sponsors
supporting this event. Special thanks must be given
to Scotiabank, a major sponsor and supporter. Another
special event was the Voyageur Day Golf Tournament.
Organized by MAYGA, this event provided a day of fun
competion for 57 enthusiastic golfers, and also raised
funds in support of the program. Special thanks are
given to Jacques Begin and Lucie Desrochers for supporting
MAYGA’s fundraising through this tournament.
MAYGA’s mandate is to provide
participants with an affordable means of learning
to enjoy the game of golf and develop skills in the
game as well as skills in life. Golf teaches children
personal discipline, concentration, patience, tenacity,
self-control, responsibility, respect for others and
good sportsmanship. Most of all golf provides the
opportunity to have fun, get exercise and fresh air
and make new friends. This past summer the $30 registration
fee and $3 a week included 8 weeks of transportation
to the course, a healthy snack each session, instruction
and course time, a golf shirt or visor with the MAYGA
logo and a prize for each participant at the final
session. In August, a number of the children participated
in the Canon fun day at Osprey Links in North Bay.
All of the junior programs in the area coached by
Glenn Cundari took part in this event. Mattawa junior
golfers were the only group there who looked like
a team in their red shirts and white visors. They
were the envy of all the other kids. They did Mattawa
proud.
Besides Glenn and Don, the Board
of Directors and the sponsors, special mention must
be made of Mike and Brenda Martel, the parent and
grandparent volunteers who came out each and every
Tuesday to lend a hand with supervision, Joelle Boulanger,
our very capable summer student and of course all
the young golfers who took part in the program. Lise
Moore Asselin, at the John Dixon Library facilitates
the registration by allowing us the use of the computers
and space there to make this a more manageable task.
This year was also the last year of our Ontario Trillium
Foundation funding. Thanks to the money we were able
to establish a web site to enable easier registration
and safe information access for our juniors. Trillium
also helped keep our costs low to ensure access for
all interested juniors. Each and every one of them
deserves a huge thank you for making this past summer
such a success.
See you next year.
Submitted by Hazel Swindle
