On a recent sunny weekday morning, Sunset Park was teeming with kids playing soccer, people walking their dogs and exercising. Some were even dancing under the beaming sun.
And then there was a group of children learning something rather unusual, at least in a city park: golf.
It’s part of an effort by the nonprofit CityParks Foundation that transforms ballfields in local parks into mini golf courses. Kids ages 7-17 can participate in free sessions that teach basic golf skills and provide a stepping stone for further development.
Carlton Screen, a coach and site director, said that the mission of the program is to “try to get inner city kids into the game of golf.”
“We’re trying to grow the popularity, especially in the boroughs,” he said.
Screen said that kids who he’s coached through this program have gone on to play golf in high school and college.
“What’s most fun is interacting with the campers,” he added. “Seeing the smiles on their faces when they hit a good golf shot."
One young golfer participating in the program said that she’s been participating in these summer programs for the last three summers, and has otherwise found it difficult to find accessible golf programs within the city.
The program runs through mid-August, along with similar CityParks Foundation programming that offers opportunities to learn tennis, soccer, and track and field.
