River Oaks junior golf rolls into 22nd year

The void in local junior golf instruction had grown into a chasm when River Oaks owner Robert Phipps and teaching professional Greg Silva decided to do something about it.

Twenty-two years later, the River Oaks Junior Golf Program continues to introduce the game and its life lessons to the area’s youths. Although Phipps died in 2007, his vision lives through Silva’s continued work.

“I think between 9,000 and 10,000 have gone through our program,” Silva said. “Our goal during the first five years was to get to 350. We had 500 by the fifth year. We were astounded.”

Back then, the program was free. They billed their students after the first seven years, but River Oaks hasn’t stopped its commitment to junior golf.

Among the top “graduates” of the program are mini-tour pro Ryan Thornberry (Cal State Stanislaus), Christine Uhalde (Fresno State) and Julianna Uhrik (Oregon State).

The program kicks into gear this summer with the first of four sessions June 9 through July 1. Classes will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays or Wednesdays and Fridays. The first class (one hour) begins at 9 a.m. and the final class at 6:30 p.m. Fees are $30 for 5- to 7-year-olds, $45 for beginners, $65 for intermediate players and $85 for advanced players.

An offshoot of the River Oaks program is the Match Play competition, which is held four times a year. The spring Match Play begins May 30. Call Silva at (209) 667-7272.

“The more kids we teach, the more we keep them off the street,” Silva said. “It’s what the junior program is all about.”

This story was originally published May 15, 2015 at 5:33 PM with the headline "River Oaks junior golf rolls into 22nd year."