Golf is one of the oldest, most prestigious, and loved sports in the world and is growing in popularity everyday. With the emergence of the likes of Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia, and David Duval, they have helped bring in new fans and participants from all walks of life into this game of a lifetime. These professional golfers have changed the face of the game, a little sneak preview of what is in store for golf as we usher in the new millennium. Their skills, talent and success have helped catapult them into superstar, almost godlike status leading to multimillion-dollar contracts and a prestigious and comfortable lifestyle.

Of course they were not born with this kind of talent, they all started out playing golf in their community, city or country's junior golf tournaments and participated in junior golf programs. Junior golf has developed into a stage where young golfers hone their skills and lift their level of competition by competing against other young golfers alike in their class or age division. It is a way for them to gage their own level of competition. This is also a stepping-stone for them to know weather or not they will pursue a career in golf as a professional like Tiger Woods and bring pride and prestige to their country.

From the parent's view, junior golf is an activity that offers many positive values that just are not available from other sports or activities. The basic premise must be accepted that parents want to direct, influence, support, and encourage their children to achieve the highest social, vocational, educational and financial goals possible in their adult life. These can be achieved, along with help from the child, by considering the options available, the interest of the child, and the personal and economic resources to be committed.

From the youngsters view, golf can provide many special experiences. They can play the game at the level they choose with the people they want. They learn to handle the lonely and frustrating feeling of losing with no one to blame except themselves. On the other hand, they get to experience and enjoy the great euphoria of winning, knowing they did it by themselves without teammates, coaches, or referees sharing in the victory.

For many years now the Philippines, has been very successful in international campaigns. From the Annual Asian Junior Golf Championship held at different venues around Asia, to the prestigious Junior World Golf Championships held annually in San Diego, where since 1981, we have shown the world how our Filipino junior golfers have the talent to win in their age divisions respectively, and bringing stature to our country. Names such as Ramon Brobio & Carito Villaroman played against the likes of Ernie Els & Phil Mickelson, who are now big names in the Professional golf world. Not even Tiger Woods could break the standing tournament record of Filipino Carito Villaroman of 15-under par at the Torrey Pines south course. Other Filipinos who have had a taste of victory in this prestigious tournament are Tom Concon (13-14 yrs old), Juan Miguel Rocha (10 & under), and Cosco Oben(10 & under, 11-12 yrs old) who have brought pride to the country. Also in the girls category Jennifer Rosales and Dorothy Delasin have done the country proud by winning the 15-17-age division. Now these two a talented force having reached the top of their sport of by being able to play regularly on the LPGA Tour in the U.S. after a very successful amateur career.

We would like to develop our junior golfers as they have great potential in both the international and local tournaments. The young golfers of today will be our Pros of the future. That is why we must build a strong foundation for them to come from in order for them to play at a higher level later on in their golfing career. I think if we shall raise the level of competition and manage tournaments properly we will have future golfers of world-class caliber and make a mark on how Filipinos can compete in the class of tiger woods and on the prestigious PGA tour someday.

* - This article was individually written and conrtibuted by Mr. Raymund Sangil.