MONROE - The third year of the Mike Muranyi Junior Golf Foundation promises to be the best yet for area youths interested in learning the game.
The cost of the program has dropped to $75 thanks to more than 50 local donors, Muranyi said. That's down from $100 in 2011, when 22 area youths participated.
"The word is starting to get out a little bit more. It's always hard when you first start," Muranyi said of lining up financial support for the program.
"It's been very unreal to me," Muranyi said of the community's generosity toward the foundation. "We've been able to buy a whole lot of equipment."
Muranyi said he hopes to boost participation to 25-30 students when lessons begin in mid-June. For the $75 fee - the foundation picks up the other $145 of the discounted junior summer membership at Monroe Country Club - golfers receive eight lessons, unlimited use of the driving range and two passes for their parents to join them for a round.
In addition, each time golfers play a round at MCC, the foundation will buy their lunch and reimburse them $5 toward the cost of their $75 membership, Muranyi said. He added that the course is open to foundation golfers seven days a week.
"So they have the opportunity to have a free membership out there," said Muranyi, adding that the foundation will pay the entire registration fee for students on the free or reduced lunch program.
MMJGA will host a tournament at MCC on July 31 as part of the Bucket of Hope Junior Tour series. The foundation will keep half the proceeds, and the golfers will collectively choose which charitable organization will receive the other half, Muranyi said.
Muranyi and Brian Jansen, the director of operations and head golf pro at MCC, gave two lessons to more than 300 Monroe Middle School students last week, expanding from the one lesson the foundation provided MMS students in 2011. MMJGA has also awarded two scholarships to incoming college freshmen each of the last two years.
"We just want to make (playing golf) more attractive," said Muranyi, a former MCC head pro. "We want the kids out there; we want them playing more.
"We're making strides every year and the more kids we can get out there and interested in the game, that's the goal."
The cost of the program has dropped to $75 thanks to more than 50 local donors, Muranyi said. That's down from $100 in 2011, when 22 area youths participated.
"The word is starting to get out a little bit more. It's always hard when you first start," Muranyi said of lining up financial support for the program.
"It's been very unreal to me," Muranyi said of the community's generosity toward the foundation. "We've been able to buy a whole lot of equipment."
Muranyi said he hopes to boost participation to 25-30 students when lessons begin in mid-June. For the $75 fee - the foundation picks up the other $145 of the discounted junior summer membership at Monroe Country Club - golfers receive eight lessons, unlimited use of the driving range and two passes for their parents to join them for a round.
In addition, each time golfers play a round at MCC, the foundation will buy their lunch and reimburse them $5 toward the cost of their $75 membership, Muranyi said. He added that the course is open to foundation golfers seven days a week.
"So they have the opportunity to have a free membership out there," said Muranyi, adding that the foundation will pay the entire registration fee for students on the free or reduced lunch program.
MMJGA will host a tournament at MCC on July 31 as part of the Bucket of Hope Junior Tour series. The foundation will keep half the proceeds, and the golfers will collectively choose which charitable organization will receive the other half, Muranyi said.
Muranyi and Brian Jansen, the director of operations and head golf pro at MCC, gave two lessons to more than 300 Monroe Middle School students last week, expanding from the one lesson the foundation provided MMS students in 2011. MMJGA has also awarded two scholarships to incoming college freshmen each of the last two years.
"We just want to make (playing golf) more attractive," said Muranyi, a former MCC head pro. "We want the kids out there; we want them playing more.
"We're making strides every year and the more kids we can get out there and interested in the game, that's the goal."
