For Lily Allman, a sophomore at McDonald County High School, it’s been a challenge to receive lessons from a PGA teaching professional – mostly because she has had to travel quite a distance, partly because of cost.
Which was why Allman had a bounce in her step Monday.
“It means a lot,” Allman said of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame’s 22nd annual High School Golf Clinic presented by the Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company.
Allman was among 100 teen golfers representing 10 southwest Missouri high schools who turned out for the event at Highland Springs Country Club. Schools represented were Buffalo, Glendale, Kickapoo, Marshfield, McDonald County, Monett, New Covenant Academy, Parkview, Reeds Spring and Seymour.
The hook? Some 17 PGA teaching professionals were on hand, thanks for Brian Maloney, the Director of Golf at Highland Springs. Each golfer received tips on their drive off a tee box.
That was a big encouragement to Allman and many others.
“I think this is a wonderful opportunity with our boys and girls on the team,” Allman said. “I learned a lot when I was out there.”
Allman has golfed for only three years. One challenge is that PGA teaching professionals are not readily available near her rural high school, which is 45 minutes south of Joplin and about 25 to 30 minutes north of northwest Arkansas golf courses.
On Monday, Allman gained a few valuable tips on ways to improve her tee shot.
“When I go back, he said don’t sway so much and keep my back leg nailed in the ground,” Allman said.
Monett brought a large contingent. A year ago, the team won its conference and placed second in the district tournament.
“This is great,” Monett coach Brian Cox said. “We came here last year, so I didn’t know if they wanted to come back. But when I asked them, they all wanted to. For a lot of the kids, it’s out of reach to get lessons (regular) in Springfield and Branson.”
Monett senior Nick Pilkenton certainly appreciated working with Maloney, who encouraged him to shift his weight on his swing.
“That’ll help me a lot,” Pilkenton said. “I wasn’t sure why I wasn’t hitting the ball quite right. I know how to fix it now.”
Marshfield’s Noah Totten also gained valuable lessons while working with a golf pro.
“He had a lot of great information,” Totten said. “He told me when I was going away on my back swing, I need to point my club where I want the ball to go. It was very helpful.”
The teaching professionals were: Steve Harrison and Megan Furnish of Highland Springs; Ron Sucet, Steve King and Larry Ray of Rivercut Golf Course; Garrett Holt of Horton Smith Golf Course; Lance Munden of Branson Hills Golf Course; Brian Bennett of Fremont Hills Golf Course; Rick Grayson of the Connie Morris Center; Dale Fisher of Grips Golf; Jim Gregory of Millwood Golf & Racquet Club; Steven Schumate, formerly of Highland Springs; retired pro Max Arrowood, Rich Brittan of Twin Oaks Golf Course; Sean Saunders of Island Green and Danny Daily of Bill & Payne Stewart Golf Course.
“This is an event that every Coca-Cola high school in the area needs to take advantage of,” said Taylor Frederich, who handles Sponsor Development for the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. “It’s not every day they get instruction from some of the best teachers in the game. And I heard a lot of coaches say they appreciated that Coca-Cola sponsored the event.”
