KEPERRA Country Golf Club’s junior golf program received a shot in the arm last month when teenagers filled the club championship’s top three podium spots.
Wesley Hinton, 16, won the A grade championship after posting a four-round total of 285 to edge out fellow teenagers Jack Jones (287) and Ben Dowling (295) – both aged 17.
Hinton, who plays off +2, isn’t the first junior to win a club championship at a metropolitan club and won’t be the last, but having three juniors fill the top three places is a credit to Keperra’s junior golf program led by teaching professionals Chris McCourt and Jake Newbery.
It was a dream come true for Hinton, who has taken his game to another level.
A couple of years ago, he averaged around 200m off the tee, but a growth spurt coupled with gym workouts have added length to his game and the teen can now pound it 250-260m on command.
No question, he’s got game.
Coached by Keperra CGC’s head teaching professional Chris McCourt, Hinton has set his sights on playing more 72-hole tournaments around Australia.
“My goal is to just keep improving and getting as good as I can in the next few years,” said Hinton, who has a best score of seven-under par at Keperra.
And he was delighted to be joined on the podium by friends Jack Jones and Ben Dowling.
“It was cool to see three juniors do well,” he said. “Jack and Ben are good friends of mine.”
Most days Hinton can be found on the practice range, but only plays “one or two comps a week” due to school commitments.
“My goal is to just keep improving and getting as good as I can in the next few years. It was cool to see three juniors do well”
He plans to take a gap year in 2024 to work on his golf game in the hope of one day turning professional.
McCourt, who won the Keperra 1987 club championship, has coached Hinton for the past four years and is impressed with his progress.
“Wes works hard on his game,” he said. “His overall game is good, but his short-game is his strength.”
McCourt says Winton even impressed two-time winner on the US PGA Tour John Senden, who also honed his skills at Keperra.
“When Sendo was home a few years ago we took Wes out for a game and Sendo challenged him to play different shots like fades, draws and low knock-down shots.
“After that, Sendo turned to me and said, ‘this kid has a good golfing mind’. I said, ‘I know’.”
For the record, McCourt also coaches Jack Jones.
“I have coached Jack since he was 12 and he and Wes have a joint golf lesson every Friday afternoon,” he added.
Chief writer David Newbery has been living, breathing and writing and editing golf for more than 30 years. His extensive knowledge of the game comes from covering golf around the world. Hired by Inside Golf in 2009, David previously worked as the editor of The Golfer for 25 years and before that worked for numerous daily newspapers in Australia and overseas. The Brisbane-based journalist describes his golf game as “a work in progress”, but has had the privilege of playing golf with some of the game’s best players including nine-time major winner Gary Player. David enjoys travelling, reading, music, photography and spending time with family and friends – on and off the golf course. 
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