WVPA Sharing

Callaway Junior Rookie League hosts first event at new Coonskin course

WV Press Association

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Callaway Junior Tour Rookie League, sponsored by Tri-State Roofing and Sheet Metal and hosted by the West Virginia Golf Association (WVGA), played Saturday at Coonskin Park in Charleston.

The CJRT Rookie League is broken into three divisions, based on skill and experience. Division winners today were:

  • AAA (nine holes): Anthony Young of South Charleston;
  • AA (nine holes): Katie Ann LeMaster of Vienna; and
  • A (six holes): Decker Harris of Morgantown.
Katie Ann LeMaster of Vienna
Decker Harris, Morgantown
Anthony Young, Charleston
Anthony Young, South Charleston

“We’re happy to have the Rookie League here and get the chance to grow youth golf,” said Kanawha County Parks and Recreation Executive Director and golf professional Jeff Hutchison. “Our new course is an upscale par three you usually don’t find outside a resort setting. The greens are from the ‘golden age’ of golf architecture.”

“Each hole is an homage to the ‘golden age’ of golf, from the 1890’s to the 1930’s. These aren’t replica holes, but they reflect the style of these designers from Scotland and elsewhere,” said Kanawha County Parks and Recreation Golf Chair Dave Pope.

“The nine holes represent Greenbrier director of golf course maintenance and its Ashford Short Course designer Kelly Shumate’s take on the work of such historic designers as Donald Ross, Seth Raynor, C.B. MacDonald and H.S. Colt.”

“We set a new record for the Rookie League with 42 players today and I couldn’t be happier,” said WVGA Tournament Manager – Youth Operations Lucas Ware.

“This new course is great for the Charleston area and hopefully all these players pass on the good word about the brand-new Short Course @ Coonskin!”

The event, a partner of Callaway Golf and conducted by the West Virginia Golf Association, featured a field of 42 golfers aged 5 to 18 from across West Virginia.

Click here for today’s full results.

The Callaway Junior Tour Rookie League is back in action Sunday, July 16, at Tygart Lake Golf Course in Grafton.

For more information, please visit wvga.org.

About the West Virginia Golf Association (WVGA):

Founded in 1913, the West Virginia Golf Association is dedicated to promoting and preserving the game of golf in West Virginia. We introduce elementary school children to golf and safety, core values and healthy habits through the First Tee – West Virginia. We also focus on teaching fundamentals and developing young players through our Callaway Junior Rookie League and Callaway Junior Tour events for boys and girls under 18. We host one-day events and tournaments throughout the season for men, women, juniors and seniors. Our membership consists of 85 Member Clubs and over 11,000 individual golfers throughout the state of West Virginia. In addition, we serve as a central source of information for our Member Clubs and generally represent the United States Golf Association (USGA) through administering the USGA Handicap System and Course/Slope Rating System, conducting qualifying rounds and overseeing amateur status matters. It is also our privilege to protect and share the rich history of golf in West Virginia through the West Virginia Golf Hall of Fame.