Area youth play golf in KJGA
Staff writer
Three junior golfers from the Hillsboro area dream of playing golf in the pros. Justin Kent, Elliott Soyez, and Daniel Kunantaev have taken the first step in achieving that goal and are members of the Kansas Junior Golf Association. The junior golfers play on the KJGA tour, and according to all three, it has been a good experience.
Although they all started playing early, each boy's experience has been different and none of them seem to want to come off the course.
Soyez started golfing at age five with his family, taking private golf lessons at age 10. He joined the KJGA four years ago and the PGA two years ago.
"He's matured a lot in the four years that he's been playing on the tour," said Gayla Soyez, Elliott's mother.
Elliott is on the golf course practicing or playing five or six hours every day and says it's important in order to keep his game improving.
"It's not hard. I really love doing it, it's fun," said Soyez.
Soyez is placed first in the North Central Section standings for his age division going into the Section Team Championship.
Kent started swinging plastic golf clubs at about 10-months-old, according to his mother. He started going to golf camps and golfing with his dad at age seven and joined the KJGA tour at 10. Kent plays golf pretty much every day and his parents have even set up a practice putting and chipping green at their house north of Hillsboro.
"Sometimes I don't feel motivated to play, but once I get out there, I start having a good time and just want to stay out," Justin said.
Jackie Kent, Justin's mother. says it's a great way for Justin and his dad to spend time together.
"I think it's awesome. It's given him a lot of confidence in himself and taught him to be more responsible and to work at something he really likes and enjoys," Jackie said. "Plus it really brings him and his dad together; they're always out golfing or hitting balls."
Justin is ranked second in the North Central Section standings for his age division going into the Section Team Championship. The championship tournament will be held July 25 through 27 at the course at Carey Park in Hutchinson.
Kunantaev found an old set of golf clubs in his garage three years ago and started going to junior golf camps. He learned from Justin Kent about the KJGA and joined the tour this year.
"We don't have to make him practice, he wants to go," said Kakim Kunantaev, Daniel's father. "We just have to bring him home. He forgets to eat."
Even though it's junior golf, there are still galleries of viewers at the tournaments. The junior golfers aren't bothered by the galleries though.
"I try to block the gallery and just focus on playing golf," said Kent.
After high school, all three boys want to go on to play golf in college and both Soyez and Kent have dreams of golf careers.
"I'd like to be a pro at a golf course and give lessons, or if I could, a pro on the tour," said Soyez.
According to Gayla Soyez, the sport can be expensive.
"With dues, fees, traveling, and equipment the investment in the sport can be costly," she said.
KJGA members only need to participate in four tournaments in the state. They can play in more if they want to but it isn't necessary to go on to the state tournament.
Whether it's through private lessons, a golf camp, the "Hook a Kid on Golf" program, or just through the local school system, all three golfers say the lessons, help, and pointers from their coaches have been invaluable.
If a child has an interest in golf, that interest should be nurtured, according to Gayla Soyez.
"If someone has an interest in golfing, the best thing a parent can do is get a golf pro," said Gayla. "The day and age is gone that you're going to make it in golf without a pro's instruction."
Any junior golfer who is a Kansas resident, under 19, has not attended college, and is able to complete 18 holes of golf in four hours or less with a score of under 100 strokes can become a member of the Kansas Junior Golf Association. The association charges annual dues and there are fees for each tournament entered.
