ROCHELLE — Thomas Brennan has played golf for roughly 13 years, and he’s taught lessons with the Flagg-Rochelle Community Park District for three years. But some of his favorite moments as a golfer have come as an instructor of a new program instituted by the park district last year called Starting New At Golf.
The program, often called SNAG for short, is designed to inspire young boys and girls to learn more about golf by practicing basic skills including driving, chipping and putting. Campers use special balls and clubs crafted to make hitting the ball easier, and other pieces of equipment including targets, rings and flags help campers have fun while practicing the fundamentals of golf.
“That’s what we need here in Rochelle,” Brennan said. “We need more interest in golf, especially from the kids, so that when they grow up they have more interest in playing… To be able to teach kids the game and get them interested in golf… Anything I can do to help, that’s what I’ll try to do.”

Campers practice from 5-5:45 p.m. every Thursday in June at Rochelle’s Skare Park. While Brennan’s time with the kids may be short, the wide variety of activities the SNAG materials allow campers to enjoy makes the golfing experience all the more valuable. About 10 campers ended their SNAG session this past week hitting off tee boxes before chipping from the rough and putting toward a flag mounted in a plastic holder.
“SNAG is a variation of real golf,” Brennan said. “It’s easier for the kids to make contact and have fun. We put up targets so they have some things to aim at, and they get excited when they hit one or come near one. It builds excitement so that, when they get a little bigger, they can start learning how to play real golf.”
As a camp instructor, Brennan is hoping the young players gain an interest in golf and remain active in the sport when the month is over.
“Golf is fun and it’s not just a game for old people,” Brennan said. “When they see a lot of their peers doing it, that helps to motivate them to want to play, and that’s the key because I don’t think enough kids give golf a try because they’re playing other sports. Anything we can do to grow the sport, that’s my goal.”