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A survey of golfers on most public courses today would disprove the old stereotype of golf as a game exclusively played by either the super wealthy or octogenarians. And yet for some non-golfers that image has endured. A visit to a local school may also soon help to demystify the sport, thanks to Golf In Schools, a program designed to offer golf instruction and raise the game’s profile among the usual competitive sports (Denver Channel).
The program’s funders (large Colorado-based golf organizations) are out to reverse a trend that’s kept the sport’s growth relatively flat since the late 1990s. And, coincidentally, it might also help schools fulfill a new law signed by Governor John Hickenlooper this week that requires the state’s elementary school students to take part in 30 minutes of daily physical activity during school hours (Associated Press). The golf associations are also probably hoping a few of the kids turn out like Del Jones, an 83-year-old whose passion for golf has led him to turn old balls into incredible pieces of art—by carving them (9News).