Published: May 09, 2007 12:38 pm         

Free golf lessons available May 12, 26

A Cumberland County golf professional is offering golf lessons this year.

LPGA Member Karen McMeekin will be offering free 10-minute lessons from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, May 12 at Mountain Ridge Golf Course in the Dripping Springs Community and on Saturday, May 26, from 10 a.m.-noon at Four Seasons Par 3 in Fairfield Glade.

This is in conjunction with rhe PGA and Free Lesson Month.

"I will be at each course for two hours. I am also hosting American Express Women's Golf Week, another program with the LPGA and PGA under the 'Play Golf America' initiative," said McMeekin, who can be reached at (931) 456-8481 or at Precision Golf, (931) 707-9889.

"I am offering free instruction for women ages 16 and up who have never played the game, but have always wanted to try," she added This is the week of June 2-9, which is one hour per day of freeinstruction at Four Seasons. Also, she is offering a 10% discount off any club repair work for ladies. Times for the free lessons will be 8-9 a.m. Monday through Friday.

In addition to the free lessons she offers private/group and video instruction as well as junior camps. Camps will start June 18 and will run until the week of July 28. Call for times and locations. A minimum of four kids and a maximum of 10 kids per camp. Camps are five hours of instruction and a day on the course.

These are Monday through Thursday. The cost is $100 per child.

"Also new this year, I am offering an elite junior camp at Mountain Ridge for lower handicap players and it will consist of four students on two consecutive days. It includes six hours of intensive instruction and 18 holes of golf (nine holes per day)," she said.

Call for the price.

McMeekin continues to offer her Tuesday night fun golf league which starts June 5.

One last golf initiative is the attempt to get the First Tee program in Cumberland County.

"One of my goals is to offer golf to everyone in all walks of life. Golf has traditionally been known as a sport for people with money and status. I want to continue to break that stigma and get the First Tee program in Crossville and offer golf to everyone. A life-long dream of mine is to travel town to town and teach golf to anyone who couldn't afford it and do it free," she said.

McMeekin grew up in South Jersey in Margate, NJ, which is a small town near Atlantic City, where she attended Atlantic City High School.

She excelled in varsity basketball and softball for four years, earning all-state in both sports.

In 1986, she moved to Florida, where she attended the University of South Florida, in Tampa, earning a BS degree in elementary physical education.

After graduation, she landed a teaching position at a Hollywood, FL, elementary school. During those years she coached high school basketball and played competitive adult women's baseball.

"Yes, baseball," she said. "I did so until I was injured at age 27; that's when I became more serious about golf. I quickly excelled and soon joined the FWSGA (Florida Womens State Golf Association), where I competed and won several tournaments."

She soon turned professional and joined the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Division in 1999. She worked junior camps and at several country clubs before leaving the school system to teach golf full time.

McMeekin moved to Crossville in the summer of 2004, where she was planning to work with another teaching professional in the area, but that didn't transpire.

"I quickly found a more successful business on my own at Four Seasons,"said McMeekin.

McMeekin has been teaching adults and children at that location since she arrived. She is also available for lessons at Mountain Ridge Golf Club, formerly Dripping Springs.

She has taught several of the elementary team members and five local high school players.

"I enjoy helping Kelly Tollett at Stone Memorial High School with her players," she added.

McMeekin recently took over ownership of Phil's Precision Golf Shop at Four Seasons, where she offers full golf club repair and custom fitting.

She is currently open for business under the name Precision Golf.

McMeekin is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce. She volunteers for the toy drive through the "Smoke on the Mountain" Cycle Ride (Toys for Tots) and is a certified personal trainer with AAAI.

McMeekin has seven rescue dogs and one horse. In the fall of 2008, her plans are to open a horse boarding stable and dog kennel in the Cumberland Cove area.

As she says, "Enjoy your round and hit 'em straight and not too often."