Junior golf association accepting applications for scholarship

Published 7:28 pm Sunday, December 10, 2017

The Southwest Louisiana Junior Golf Association has a $1,000 scholarship that is available to a player for the upcoming semester.

It’s the Mike Heinen Scholarship.

Derek Smith, the head pro at Mallard Cove and head of the SWLJGA, said the scholarship is open to any junior golfer who has participated on a Calcasieu Parish high school golf team and is currently enrolled at McNeese State or Sowela Technical College.

He added that the recipient is not required to be on a college golf team.

“This is a one-time scholarship that we intend to award each year to one graduating high school senior,” Smith said. “It was not awarded this past semester so it is available for the spring.”

The scholarship is not restricted for any specific college expense.

“It can be used as it is needed in a way that best benefits the recipient,” he added.

To apply, prospects should submit:

a) High school golf history (scores, tournaments, scoring average)

b) High school grades (all four years)

c) Any other junior golf tournaments played in and locations

d) A letter telling the committee why you feel you deserve the scholarship

Smith said prospects can submit the information to him at

P.O. Box 12115, Lake Charles, LA 70612.

“The SWLAJGA is excited to be able to offer this scholarship and we are grateful that Mike Heinen has allowed us to name it after him. He is a great role model for our youth. And, the fact that he has won a PGA Tour event shows that anyone can be successful if they put in the time and make the effort.”

Smith said applicants for the scholarship should submit their information as soon as possible.

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Heinen is one of two PGA pros from the area who has won a PGA tournament title, the other was Willie Wood, who played at Oklahoma State and now resides in that state.

Heinen, who played his college golf at Louisiana-Lafayette, won the Houston Open in 1994, earned two runner-up finishes and right at $2 million in 17 years on the PGA Tour.

Wood won the 1996 Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic and is a member of the PGA’s senior tour.

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Four holes-in-one were reported by golfers from last week, one of them a correction of name.

The name correction is that of Billy Manino (it was reported as Marino). He aced the 118-yard 12th hole at The National in Westlake with a 9-iron.

David Huddle, Emmett Sole and Russell LeBlanc were the other three with aces.

Huddle used a 5-hybrid for his hole-in-one on the 148-yard third hole at the Lake Charles Country Club, while Sole aced the 156-yard sixth hole at the Country Club with a 5-iron. It was Sole’s third ace.

LeBlanc posted his hole-in-one at Gray Plantation, knocking in a 3-hybrid from 190 yards on the 13th hole.

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Louis Bonnette has written about local golf for the American Press since 1971. His column appears each Sunday. Contact him at 274-5689 or lbonnette@mcneese.edu