Friday, September 17, 1999
Miniature golf course teaches thinking
Elementary students master analytical skills
BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
MASON — When Caitlin Meyers walked up to the eighth hole on the miniature golf course set up in the gym at Western Row Elementary School, she picked up her club and looked things over.
“I can't go straight. I have to think first how I'm going to shoot,” the third grader said.
Thinking like that would please her physical education teacher Cathy Weston, who is using the putting course to teach not only golf, but ana lytical and strategic thinking.
She ordered the course through a catalog. Each hole has movable plastic pieces resembling different lengths of landscaping lumber so Ms. Weston can change the difficulty level and appearance of each hole. Some holes have tunnels, diamond-shaped boxes or other obstacles that challenge the children because they can't putt a straight line.
“My goal for this year has been fitness and lifetime sports,” Ms. Weston said. “This fits right into that because golfing is something you can do your whole life. The neat thing for me is that every kid has some success and they're having a good time.”
Before the students were allowed on the course they had to master some basic golfing terms — they know if they have an ace (hole in one), bogie (par plus one stroke), or eagle (two under par).
Each is also getting a dose of physics when determining which angles to bounce the ball off when there isn't a straight shot, Ms. Weston said.
“It was harder than I thought,” said Tommy Bruzina, 8. “I knew I had to hit sideways.”
Ms. Weston said she wants to set up an after-school intramural program next year and possibly establish leagues.
“I want to keep adding things to the holes, too, to make them more interesting or challenging,” Ms. Weston said.
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