PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write. I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that it what I long for in both politics and golf. The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions like. And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

Consider these paragraphs from a recent summary of golf this spring amidst the pandemic provided by Oregon Golf Association (OGA) CEO Barb Trammell:

“Since starting tournaments at the beginning of June, we have seen record sign-ups and participation. The Oregon Amateur had the highest number of entries for our qualifiers and junior golf is also booming.

“It has been a challenge with new protocols and the staff has done an outstanding job with handling all the nuances of monitoring social distancing, sanitizing touch points and minimizing spectators.

“We actually had some great press this year at the Oregon Am, too, with TV coverage!”

That’s good news for all of us who love golf.

And it’s good news because young players are taking up the game. The future of golf, of course, lies with the participation and commitment of people younger than me, even as I continue to play the game I love.

All of this is why I donate my time as a volunteer with the Oregon Golf Association (OGA) in at least two ways: Helping to officiate at junior and regular amateur golf tournaments, and serving on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for the OGA.

Another piece of good news is that the course where I have played for more than 30 years in Salem, Illahe Hills Golf and Country Club, takes a variety of specific actions to boost junior golf.

This year, there are about 45 young people participating in the junior golf program, which is run by Illahe’s great assistant golf pros, B.J. Lewis and Blake Bowen.

It’s great to see the kids, with instruction, learning to play the game.

Here are just a few pieces of information on junior golf through the OGA:

* Eligibility:  Must be a current member of Oregon Junior Golf to participate in OJG Majors.  Must meet recommended scoring guidelines for your division.  Must be an amateur between the ages of 8-18 as of the final day of the tournament.

* Format:  Multiple day competitions.  All competitions are stroke play with the exception of the Bob Norquist Oregon Junior Amateur where junior golfers play one round of stroke play qualifying and match play the rest of the week.  Pee Wee Divisions generally play 9 holes each day; all other divisions play 18 holes each day.

* Girls Divisions:  Pee Wee Girls (8-9), Pee Wee Girls (10-11), Intermediate Girls (12-14), Girls (15-18), Girls Open (12-18). Please see specific competition for Oregon Junior Stroke Play and Bob Norquist Oregon Junior Amateur divisions.

* Boys Divisions:  Pee Wee Boys (8-9), Pee Wee Boys (10-11), Intermediate Boys (12-13), Boys (14-15), Junior Boys (16-18), and Boys Open (14-18).

One other issue is front and center these days. Not surprisingly, it is organizing tournaments with attention paid to safety and security amidst the pandemic. Various golf rules have been adjusted to enable play, which means people of all ages can get out on the course even as various other activities have been stopped or curtailed.

The fact that golf occurs outside is critical. If it was played inside some kind of pavilion as is the case with many other sports, golf would be on the sidelines.

My basic point in writing this blog: Junior golfers are playing the game which helps to assure the future of the game we love.