NATCHEZ — When the Norman Puckett Junior Golf Clinic began at 9 a.m. Monday, 5-year-old Walker Carby didn’t say much. By the end of the hour class, however, Carby was interacting with every child in attendance.

“It’s so fun that I like waking up early in the morning and play golf,” Carby said.

Although the clinic is meant to teach children ages 6-12 the fundamentals of golf, it is also gives them opportunities to learn other life skills. More importantly though, it instills the love of golf in them.

Jimmy Headrick — who has been recognized three times as a U.S. Kids Golf Top 50 Best Junior Teachers of the Year by the PGA — has been coaching the clinic for five years now. Every year, he realizes that coaching this clinic is worth getting up at 5:30 a.m. and making the drive from New Orleans.

“To be invited up to Natchez and to be around the energy these kids give off, it’s just an awesome vibe,” Headrick said. “You can feel it here. The kids are having fun — that’s our goal. We want to get them excited to play golf. And they are doing it here.

“When you get children this age getting excited about golf, it really helps the game.”

One of the kids who gets happy whenever he has a chipper or a putter in his hand is 9-year-old Kelly McMorris.

This is the third year McMorris has attended the clinic, and every year he falls more in love with golf, he said.

“I come back every year so I can get better,” McMorris said. “So I can learn how to be a good golfer because I want to be a good golfer one day.”

McMorris said his favorite part of the class is when he gets to learn how to chip a ball because he has to hit the ball a certain way to get it in the air.

The young golfer likes to chip so much that he even stayed after the hour clinic ended so he could continue to improve.

“It’s amazing to see these kids stay after and work on their golf skills,” Headrick said.

A way Headrick and the other coaches get the children in attendance excited about golf is allowing them to play a game called, “Ten.”

The activity separates the participants into three groups. The goal is to make 10 puts — hence the name. The first group to 10 made puts wins.

Headrick said that activity creates a tremendous level of excitement, team cohesion and helps the kids build self confidence and social skills.

“They get totally excited,” Headrick said. “They are jumping up in the air, getting fired up.

“I don’t want the clinic to be boring. I want them competing, having fun and engaged.”

Not only does the class get the participants in a competitive mood, but it gets them to realize what type of player they can become if they continue with golf.

“When you can introduce golf to them at this young age, they can realize just how good they can be,” Headrick said. “They get excited about playing golf, then next thing you know they are playing high school, possibly college golf and competing in it for the rest of their life.”

Participants such as Carby and McMorris said they will continue attending the clinic.

“I love golf,” Carby said “It’s my favorite sport now.”