KAWARTHA LAKES-Mike Gascho has roamed the greens of Sturgeon Point Golf Club since he was 6 years old. He loves the smell of the fresh-cut grass, the sound of a good pitch and the life long friendships he’s made on the golf course. ” I grew up here. My mom worked here and she would bring us down. I would hit golf balls and my brother would fish off the dock.” he says. “The people I grew up with still golf here and I still golf with them to this day, you build some really great friendships”
Those early days at Sturgeon Point ignited a lifelong passion for golf and Gascho went on to graduate from Georgian College’s Professional Golf Course Management Program in 2000 and he turned pro in 2001. He credits Sturgeon Point with much of his success. “It’s a great golf course to learn on, the facility is unique, we have a driving range and a nine-hole golf course, it’s easy to walk, not too hilly but it’s a rolling terrain, not overly tough but still challenging.”
Gascho is now the Golf Pro at the club he grew up on and he’s using his expertise to teach young players the art of the game. “I find kids pick up on it very quickly so they don’t necessarily have the bad habits because I like to start off with the fundamentals. They are learning the grip, stance and posture, the stuff that allows you to make the correct swing”
But for Gascho, golf is more than a sport, it teaches young players some life-long lessons.”We teach etiquette, rules, patience and I teach them math. You learn a lot about angles, addition and keeping score properly” says Gascho. Kids also learn about ball marks and replacing divots.
Sturgeon Point Golf Club is offering junior Golf Camps all summer long, giving local kids the opportunity to learn from one of the best. Camps are starting July 3rd and will run for one week each with two different levels available. “Within three hours I would typically touch on three aspects of the game. Putting to start off with, it’s the short version of the swing, then chips and the full swing.” Gascho says.
Established in 1899, the historic Sturgeon Point Golf Club includes a public 9-hole course, driving range, putting and chipping greens. Nestled on the shores of Sturgeon Lake, near Fenelon Falls, it’s one of an elite group of golf courses to have both boat docking facilities and cart rentals.
With the growing popularity of video games and technology, junior golf camp is one place where cell phones are off limits according to Gascho. “You have to be focused when you are playing, there’s a safety aspect to it, it can be dangerous so they have to be paying attention”
Paying attention to the ball, the game and the people they are playing with. Gascho loves the fact that you can golf at any age and it’s a sport that the whole family can become involved in. “I think it’s a great sport, one you can play for your entire life”
Click here for more information on camps or to register: https://www.sturgeonpointgolf.com/junior-programs/
