Wednesday, July 2, 2003
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Wednesday, July 2, 2003 |
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Local girls golfing up a storm
By MONROE
ROARK
The youth movement in women's golf has hit Fayette County hard, at least in one household. Zack and Susan Stallings of Fayetteville have a full schedule this summer, thanks to the prowess of their daughters: Emily, 10, and Rebecca, 7. Both have made excellent showings in a national competition sponsored by the Golf Channel, and Emily has already made her mark on the Atlanta Junior Golf Association circuit. It all began when Emily, at age 3, saw her dad hitting golf balls at their home and picked up a club. Zack thought she had a natural swing, so he borrowed some clubs for her, and she has been playing ever since. A few years later, Rebecca also started playing at 3. The family has a membership at Canongate and also utilizes a putting green at their home to help the girls stay sharp. They attended Grace Christian Academy last year and expect to enter Sara Harp Minter Elementary this fall, with a lot of golf in between. In the 12-under Intermediate category, where few 10-year-old even play, Emily has entered three tournaments this year at Marietta Country Club, at Flat Creek, and at Charlie Yates Golf Club in Atlanta and won all three. She will play four more AJGA events this year, all on the north side of Atlanta, before the season ends. Rebecca will start AJGA play next year, and she and Emily will play in DeKalb Junior Classic July 21-22. In the meantime, both girls entered the Golf Channel's Drive, Chip and Putt Jr. Golf Skills Competition. As the name implies, it is divided into three categories, where players can demonstrate their skills at driving, chipping and putting. The event is open to players in three age groups: 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12. Rebecca came in fourth in her age group at the Low Country Regional Championship in May in Savannah. Emily is going to the national competition in Orlando in November. The Golf Channel will send her and one parent, all expenses paid, but the other two family members will drive down. Rebecca's regional will be televised sometime in August, while Emily's nationals should air in late November.
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