Golf Notes: First Tee hosting free clinic Saturday

Free junior golf

The Jack McKenna Junior Golf Day is scheduled for Saturday at the First Tee of Chattanooga learning center. The session for ages 6-17 is billed as a fun and free clinic to honor McKenna's passion and enthusiasm for teaching the game.

The day includes a three-hour session featuring area PGA professionals, a free lunch and activity with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga golf teams. Free registration is available at www.TheFirstTeeChattanooga.org.

Palmer on the air

Arnold Palmer is scheduled to join the First Tee Golf Hour for a broadcast Thursday about 6:20 on 102.3 FM. The season began with an interview with Gary Player and then Dottie Pepper, and Annika Sorenstam will be on the program next Thursday for the third straight year.

"Fresh off the Masters, we'd like his thoughts on this year's Masters and his Masters wins," co-host Mike Jenkins said of Palmer. "And you can't help but ask anybody about what's going to happen with the long putter. The third thing for me is I'd like to know why he's such a believer in the First Tee."

Locals get Tour date

Former McCallie golfers Bryce Ledford and Adam Mitchell have been given unrestricted sponsor exemptions to the South Georgia Classic, which begins Thursday at Kinderlou Forest in Valdosta. UTC assistant football coach Will Healy will caddie for Mocs alumnus Ledford.

Former Baylor golfer Luke List won the tournament last year and launched him to full status on the PGA Tour.

Clossin All-ODAC

McCallie graduate Patrick Clossin from Ooltewah was one of two Washington and Lee men's golfers named All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The sophomore repeated as a third-team selection after averaging 75.8 strokes for his 18 rounds during the regular season.

Cleveland openings

Entries for the Cleveland Country Club Invitational, a stop in the Chattanooga TPC series, are due a week from today. Entry forms for the May 4-5 tournament can be obtained by contacting the club or by visiting www.IfYouLikeGolf.com.

The entry fee of $135 includes a walking practice round, two rounds of competition -- including a Stableford division -- and lunch both days.

Signal invitations

Applications have been open for the Signal Mountain Invitational, one of the longest-running tournaments in the state. The May 17-19 competition includes 54 holes of golf, free range balls and a pairing party for two.

College, high school and junior players are invited, and all participants can earn World Amateur Golf Ranking points, Scratch Player World Am Ranking points and Level II TGA Player of the year points. The basic entry fee is $160, and a form can be found at www.IfYouLikeGolf.com.

Area aces

Rosalie Basten made her first hole-in-one on April 16 at Bear Trace at Harrison Bay. It came on No. 8, measuring 133 yards, and she used an 18-degree hybrid club with Jeanie Reedy and Evelyn Williams watching.

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