Karen Nicoletti demonstrates the perfect golf swing to the girls attending the LPGA*USGA Girls Golf program at Val Halla Golf Course in Cumberland Center. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)

CUMBERLAND — Karen Nicoletti wanted to give back to the game.

The golf pro at Portland Country Club, who is from San Diego, California, knew there were plenty of junior golf opportunities in Central and Southern Maine, but they were mostly co-ed. She wanted an option available for young girls to learn the game with other girls between ages 6-17.

So Nicoletti reached out to Brian Bickford, the head pro at Val Halla — the headquarters of golf in Maine as the home of the Maine State Golf Association — if his club was interested in hosting a LPGA*USGA Girls Golf program. She had been a site director for the program earlier in her career.

Bickford jumped at the chance of bringing back the program, as it’s only one of two in the entire state. The other is based at the Sugarloaf Golf Club in Carrabassett Valley.

“It’s our second year with Karen running it,” Bickford said. “We have had it in the past, and it has been reinvigorated and rebranded. It’s really growing.”

Bickford said his daughter, Meghan Bickford, went through the program and is now a golf pro herself with the Everglades Club in Palm Beach, Florida, and at the Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia.

What is the LPGA*USGA Girls Golf program?

It was started by in 1989 in Phoenix, Arizona, by Sandy LaBauve, a passionate LPGA teaching professional who has two daughters. LaBauve learned the game from her mother, whose philosophy was that kids learn by playing games and having fun.

They started with 10 programs, and the number has jumped to 300 communities in its 29-year history.

The mission of the program involves five Es.

“The girls’ golf program, we have five Es: We empower, we enrich, we engage, we exercise and energize,” Nicoletti said. “We have over 30 girls in our program this year. It’s a nationally recognized program. We teach them life skills (along with) golf skills.”

When she started the program last year the number of participants was 15. Her goal is to have 100 girls in the program. This year’s increase has come largely through word of mouth.

Bickford knows the difficulty of getting girls involved in golf, but he believes this program provides a more comfortable setting for girls to learn in.

“It seems to be a little harder, and I think a part of it is that most programs are run co-ed,” Bickford said. “By splitting the girls from the boys and running certain events, like Bring a Friend, and maybe a little bit of social aspect to it, bringing in female instructors instead of male instructors, I think it brings a nice cohesive program. One in which the girls identify.”

Bickford believes the social aspect of the program makes a big difference.

In addition to teaching basics of golf with games like pitch a marshmallow into a kiddy pool, Nicoletti also uses the program to teach the girls to give back to their community. The second half each session, Nicoletti brings the girls to Val Halla’s junior golf room, where she has arts and craft time.

On June 24th, the girls made crafts for children in the Maine’s Children Cancer Program at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital.

“Brian Bickford, who’s the pro here, is wonderful to allow us to have it in this junior room here,” Nicoletti said. “We have this hashtag called ‘LittleGirlsBigDreams.’ Our idea is get them involved in the community and to reach to the people and enjoy the game of golf.”

nfournier@sunjournal.com

Pat Kowker helps Emily Kelsh adjust her golf swing at the LPGA*USGA Girls Golf program at Val Halla Golf Course in Cumberland Center. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)