Will Robins golf celebrates 20 years in Folsom

Will Robins Golf has been a signature in Folsom and at Empire Ranch Golf Club for the last 20 years. Last week the organization finished its last summer camp of the season, completing 20 years of teaching youngsters the game of golf. Robins, 46, had hoped to become a pro golfer but injuries suffered during the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in 2004 when he was in Thailand forced a change in his career path. He was asked by the general manager of Empire Ranch at the time, Sean Silver, if he'd like to teach and Robins asked to take over the junior golf program. He started a summer camp and the rest was history. Each year, Will Robins Golf brings in 250 kids a summer for the camps, which last about eight or nine weeks between the end of and the beginning of the school year. That computes to about 5,000 kids who have learned the game of golf in the last 20 years. The camps run Monday through Friday for 90 minutes a day. Kids as young as 5 years old attended the camp last week. Many of the kids who enjoy the camps also sign up for Robins' weekly classes, where skill and core values are taught every week. Classes are offered Monday through Saturday and are open to all ages, skill levels and abilities. The classes are focused on fun, learning and also character development. The nine core values that are discussed with the character development portion of the program include honesty, integrity, respect, confidence, responsibility, courtesy, perseverance, judgment and sportsmanship. "The classes offer a different lesson plan every week, which incorporates the First Tee core values and life skills," said Jared Butts, PGA Head Coach. "We call them Fun-damentals. One week it might be posture, the next week it might be swing path. The third week it could be alignment. "In teaching the core values, one of our mottos is 'Making champions on and off the golf course.' We're teaching those life skills. They're going to leave here being better people and being a better golfer. "After the camps, the kids continue their love of golf through taking our classes. Over the years, we've had 20-plus kids earn college scholarships. We teach them from having never touched a golf club to earning a college scholarship and we have a lot of fun with it." A unique aspect of Will Robins Golf is that many of the coaches in the program actually went through the program when they were younger. Nick Alkire, 20, who attends Ohio State University, is one of them. "I joined as a kid and went through the camps and classes," Alkire said. "A couple of years ago I needed a job and ask if they were hiring and they said yes. I came out and trained and then started coaching. "I love the program, especially seeing it from the perspective of a coach; seeing all the kids grow up and being able to help them improve at golf, but also aid in their development of people. We start teaching them how to be a better person through our nine core values. Obviously, we want to teach them golf, but if we can also teach them how to become better people that's a plus." Maddy Azevada, 18, also came through the Will Robins program and is now coaching. "I started when I was 13 and I was going into high school at Oak Ridge and it was COVID and I was looking for a sport to do that didn't have contact with anyone else and golf was the perfect choice," Azevada said. "I had never played before; I was a soccer player, but the program helped me develop my skills. I went through the junior classes and tournaments and they really helped me. Throughout my high school career, I was in the high school classes and those were every Saturday. I was in the program for four years and I started working here my third year." For more information on Will Robins Golf, go to wrgolf.com or inquire at Empire Ranch Golf Club.