MGA: Massachusetts Golf Association Illustration Illustration

News Release

For Immediate Release: July 1, 2003

With the ever increasing interest in the sport of golf, parents have been replacing baseball bats and Saturday morning cartoons with golf clubs. One person who is helping to further that process is Mike Haberl, head golf professional at MGA Links at Mamantapett, a newly re-opened 18-hole public golf facility located in Norton. Since May 10, Haberl has been hosting free junior clinics every Saturday morning for the children of Norton and the surrounding communities. The interest has been so high that Haberl has extended the program through the summer season.

"I have been amazed at the number of kids who have been showing up, especially at 7:30 on a Saturday morning," said Haberl. "It shows how much appeal there is for the game now, especially by young female golfers. The amount of girls attending the clinics is growing so much each week that they are beginning to out number the boys. It is really great to see".

Haberl is no stranger to introducing junior players to the game of golf. Over the past 11 years, he has helped develop clinics with his father, Jay Haberl, at the Dennis Highlands Golf Course (South Dennis, MA), as well as donate much of his time to assist the Cape Cod Junior Golf Association. However, since April 2003 when he took over the reigns at MGA Links at Mamantapett, Haberl has focused his efforts on promoting junior golf in the Norton area. In fact, Haberl himself has visited many local elementary and middle schools to help get the word out about these free clinics.

The clinics, held on Saturday mornings from 7:30 to 8:30 throughout the summer months, focus on the fundamentals of the game. In addition, with the course's junior membership costing only $100 for the season, it is very easy for many of these kids to go out on the golf course and apply their newly learned skills.

"We try to keep things simple for the kids," said Haberl. "Each week we work on a different area of the game, and that can vary from the short game all the way to full the swing".

So far these free clinics have been very successful, with an average of 20-30 kids participating each week. However, there is still plenty of room for more to come as all children from the ages of 8 to 15 are welcome. "We just want these kids to have some fun, and learn some proper techniques to help them enjoy the game even more," said Haberl.

This junior clinic program has been made possible through the work of the Massachusetts Golf Association (MGA). Over the past year, the MGA has taken a major step in expanding the game of golf to a wide range of groups, including junior, senior and women players from across the state. With the recent purchase of this18-hole, par 3, pubic-access golf facility - formerly known as the Wading River Golf Club - a window of opportunity has arisen for many junior players in the surrounding areas.

In addition, MGA Links at Mamantapett serves as the headquarters for the nationally heralded MGA ForeKids Golf Program, which has brought the game and its values to more than 20,000 underprivileged children throughout Massachusetts.