Page 64 - Las Vegas Golf & Leisure Magazine Winter 2022

FEATURE

Golf with Hart

Las Vegas United States Golf Teachers Federation professional knowledge helps kids and parents understand what it takes to
Jim Hart has been introducing the game of golf to young get started and lets them experience and participate and then
Southern Nevada golfers for more than two decades including grow from there.”
as the chairperson of the Valley View Golf Club junior program The Valley View junior program was created by Paul Pradia,
since 1998. He also assists with certain Southern Nevada Lee Daniels and Johhny Griffin, and Hart worked with them
Junior Golf Association clinics and oversees the standard in the 90s to expand it. Over the years, hundreds of kids have
bearers for the PGA Tour’s Shriners Children’s Open. gone through the program. Mackenzie and Sydney Mack grew
These days, he is the caretaker of the Golf with Hart Academy, up attending clinics, and Mackenzie is now an LPGA and PGA
which meets each Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Las Vegas Golf instructor, author and Callaway Golf executive. Sydney is an
Club. Any junior is welcome to attend the free sessions. attorney.
“I am bringing the game to anyone who wants to learn it Others who have worked with Hart include Alex Scott,
and enjoy playing the game,” Hart says. “The kids start in a who played golf at Southern University; Joe Sobaski, who
group setting without a lot of pressure. They learn how to graduated from the UNLV Professional Golf Management
play the game and also how to work on their golf skills, their program; current top junior player Nicholas Kilgore and his
golf etiquette and course management. It allows them to brother, Zachary; and current UNLV PGM students Lea Im and
get comfortable and then want to stay with the game for the Patrick Tasanaroungrong; and several others.
enjoyment of it.” Junior golfers can show up to the Las Vegas Golf Club
driving range on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. or contact Jim at
Hart understands the barriers to entry that keep a lot of kids
from enjoying golf. 702-521-8537 or hartjh89117@embarqmail.com.
“Kids can go to the park and play basketball or play football, Note: the clinics will break from mid-December through
but golf is not presented that way,” Hart says. “So, a lot of youth February due to colder weather.
don’t get involved because it’s always the stigma that you have
to go to the golf course, pay something and get equipment,
and all these things that make it difficult. My instruction and

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