By Lynn Saternow

Herald Sports Editor

IN THE HISTORY of golf in Mercer County, few have done as much for young people as Jack Kerins, patriarch of the family owners of Tam O’Shanter Golf Course.

In his honor, a Jack Kerins Scholarship Award has been started and will be awarded each year to a senior planning to attend college in the fall of their graduating year. A student must be a resident of Mercer County or the Shenango Valley.

The award is based on academic achievement, golfing accomplishments, and an essay by the applicant on what the student has learned from the game of golf and how it will help them in the future.

Applications are available at the Tam O’Shanter pro shop and must be returned by June 1.

Jack, 96 years young, founded The Herald-Tam O’Shanter Junior Tournament in 1949, allowing local youngsters to get a feel for the game. The family has continued to support junior golf and John Kerins, director of golf, still sponsors junior golf clinics for boys and girls as well as continuing The Herald-Tamie tourney each year.

A free clinic for junior golfers, who each received a free club, was held recently at Tamie driving range, sponsored by Tamie and the Tri-State PGA Section.

For boys and girls wishing to get special instruction, the Tamie junior golf program is set to begin June 13 and will be conducted each Friday for 7 weeks. There are three age groups: 5-8, 8-8:45 a.m.; 9-12, 8:45-9:30; and 13-18, 9:30-10:15.

Each class is limited to the first 40 students enrolled. A $25 fee includes instructions, range balls, T-shirt, and a field day on Aug. 8 which includes greens fees, lunch and prizes.

Players may sign up at the course.

ä While there’s a lot of concentration on youngsters, there are a couple of major tournaments coming up at Tamie as well for the older set.

The annual $15,000 Scramble will be held Saturday, with first prize of $2,000. The top 25 teams share in the prize list, if a full field registers. Shotgun starts are set for 7:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.

And a Senior Amateur Tournament is set for Wednesday, May 28, with a 9 a.m. shotgun. Age groups are 50-59, 60-69 and 70-over, with awards going to low gross and low Callaway handicap scores in each division.