The impressive (and a little bit daunting) Red Tail GC was the venue for our latest Wee Highlanders Tour 6 hole challenge event. Wee Highlanders is a shortened course stroke play competition over 6 holes for our aged 8’s and under players.

Our primary aims are for each of the participants to have fun playing great venues from shortened length fairways and full sized greens with mom or dad (or both) alongside to assist and to allow these young players to gain valuable competitive experience.

As we operate each Wee Highlander event alongside our 18 hole Highlander Junior Tour stroke play competitions (open to aged 9 and above) we hope to provide a pathway from one level to the next as they develop their enthusiasm for playing the game, their confidence to compete and their golfing ability.

Red Tail, even from our own designate “Wee Red Tees” is a tough prospect. Yesterday we unfortunately lost one of our young players just before the event began due to feeling unwell. Om Khirbat has played with us previously and we hope he feels better soon, we all missed seeing you out there Om and hope to see you back soon!

Our remaining players were Preston Shearer and Carson Luck, both previous Wee Highlander Event winners with Preston taking the medal at Harbor Hills and most recently Carson winning at Sanctuary Ridge.

Both players had some fine moments yesterday and the real spirit of playing golf was apparent for all to see as each player and every parent puts personal loyalties aside to cheer and applaud every stroke these relatively “new to the game” youngsters takes. It’s fair to say that in our time we have seen many a pushy parent perhaps ask a bit too much of their kids in sport and we don’t believe it helps, this is the stage we believe they should just be left to play, have fun and make their own minds up on how seriously they want to play the game and we are always pleased to see that the parents in attendance at these events seem to agree with that approach.

In the end the winner of this one mostly came down to the player who mastered the area in and around the greens better and that was Carson. We know that Preston would have been a little disappointed but as we “mature golfers” know “not winning” happens way more to golfers (amateur and professional)  during their lifetime playing the game than winning does so get right back out there and we look forward to seeing you back competing again next time!

Carson, Congratulations from us all on another medal win! You are now 2/2! You posted an exceptional score of only 28 strokes over 6 holes on a tough golf course. That’s VERY impressive and equals your previous score at Sanctuary Ridge!  We know you also love to play Hockey….it’s great to play lots of other sports too but we are very much looking forward to seeing you continue to enjoy golf and see you develop the obvious talent you have been given in our sport!

Thank you to everyone who attended and supported this event. We will be back with another Wee Highlander soon.

See below a very happy Carson Luck proudly wearing his Wee Highlander Medal.