Randy Towner and all the other golf pros in the county are searching for youngsters who are interested in learning to play golf.

“Our objective,” said Towner, head pro at Alvamar Country Club, “is to teach golf and educate players to the life values the game brings.”

In order to do that, Towner and the others have formed the Douglas County Junior Golf Academy.

“Lawrence has been named one of the top-40 golf destinations in the country,” Towner said. “Our goal is to make our academy one of the best in the nation.”

DCJGA will be divided into three skill levels — beginner, intermediate and advanced. The latter group will consist of golfers with the ability to shoot in the 90s or lower.

The academy’s first clinic will be at 2 p.m. May 1 at Alvamar Public. Classes are scheduled for 2 p.m. every Saturday through the end of June at various courses.

All of the city’s PGA pros will be core instructors. That includes head pros Jon Zylstra (Lawrence Country Club), Jim Kane (Eagle Bend), Brad Demo (Alvamar Public) and Towner.

Also helping will be Steve McDonald of the Native American Junior Golf Program and Jim Bligh from Twin Oaks near Eudora, as well as city assistant pros John Morris (Eagle Bend), Ryan Zug (Alvamar Public), David Wade (Alvamar CC), Jane Yi (Alvamar CC), Bruce Rist (Eagle Bend) and Donny Maney of the NAJGA.

Cost for the program is $100 per child or $250 per family.

All the city courses, including the Orchards, will offer junior golf leagues this summer. So will Twin Oaks.

Also, Alvamar Public will allow academy members to play free with a paid adult after 1 p.m. on Sundays.

For information, call Towner at 842-2929 or any of the other courses.