BUCKINGHAM >> Sarah Parlee hopes to double her junior golfing pleasure come Aug. 1-2.
Parlee, a 13-year-old Lakeport resident who will be entering the eighth grade in the upcoming school year, will be defending her championship Aug. 1 when the 24th annual Buckingham Summer Junior tees off at Buckingham Golf and Country Club. She’ll also participate in the 23rd annual Lake County Junior the following day at Adams Springs Golf Course, the second jewel in Lake County’s junior golf circuit. A year ago she finished two shots behind champion Madison Witt, settling for second place.
Both Parlee and James Dixon of Kelseyville were busy fine-tuning their games on Tuesday evening as part of the Buckingham Junior Golf Clinic series. Although instructor Ted Mattila was away taking part in a golf tournament, Parlee and Dixon, 12, who recently moved to Lake County from Ohio, were hard at work on the practice putting green and also on the driving range where they were launching ball after ball into Little Borax Lake, which sits in the middle of the Buckingham course.
Asked if winning both junior golf tourneys was her goal this season, Parlee’s response was “Oh yeah.” She’s been working hard toward that goal since last summer.
“I play almost every single day,” Parlee said. “I’ve improved most in driving.”
Parlee said the strength of her game rests in her iron play.
Dixon, who is still celebrating the Cavaliers’ victory over the Warriors in the NBA Finals, said he won’t be competing in either of the county’s junior golf tournaments early next month. He has been playing golf since age 8 and says he needs the most work with his driving. Putting and chipping are his strengths right now.
While the Ohio transplant is big on Clevleand basketball, as in the Cavaliers, Dixon is also a fan of the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals in football.
The Buckingham Junior Golf Clinic takes place every Tuesday beginning at 5 p.m. at Buckingham Golf and Country Club and will be held through mid-August. The cost is $5 per clinic. Contact Mark or Ted at the pro shop at 279-4863 for more information.
