‘It’s one of the great Quincy traditions’: Participants in Pepsi Little People’s Golf Championships ready to tee it up

QUINCY — What a difference a year makes.

Now in his second year as the organizer for the Pepsi Little People’s Golf Championships, Mark Christensen feels more comfortable this time around.

“Everybody here says my blood pressure is much lower this year than it was last year,” Christensen said. “It’s amazing what a little bit of experience can do.”

Ongoing construction last year at Westview Golf Course — one of two courses to host the LPGC, along with Spring Lake Country Club — intensified Christensen’s first-year jitters.

“That was a source of stress for me,” Christensen said. “I don’t have that stress this year.”

The construction is complete, and while it is not in absolutely prestine condition, Westview’s assistant director of golf, George Schrage, is excited to showcase the course once again in the 52nd edition of Little People’s.

“Those areas are still growing in a little bit,” Schrage said. “They’re not perfect, but they’re going in, and it should provide a really nice playing surface for the kids to come out and enjoy themselves.”

Kids like Drew Maze, a 14-year-old from Columbia, Mo., took part in a practice round on Monday ahead of the two-day tournament that starts on Tuesday. Drew is competing in her first Little People’s, a tournament about which her father, Eric Maze, heard great things.

“I had heard from several people in the Quincy area that this was a really prestigious tournament, really good competition and drew people from all over the Midwest and the country to come play,” Eric Maze said. “We thought this was a reasonably short distance to come and play a good tournament against good competition, and it’s a good opportunity for her to meet some girls from other parts of the country.”

Drew, who has competed in a handful of Missouri Golf Association and American Junior Golf Associaion events, is both excited and nervous about playing in Little People’s for the first time.

“I just hope to do well for myself,” Drew Maze said. “It’s me against me, I guess.”

Christensen hopes the young golfers can learn from that mental challenge during their experience in the tournament.

“Every one of these kids wants to become the next Rory McIlroy,” Christensen said. “We all dream about that as kids, that we’re going to get to the highest level, but if that was the case, everybody would be a professional golfer. It does happen, but it’s probably not going to, so if it’s not going to happen, there has to be something else that comes out of this. What comes out of it is being able to handle yourself in a stressful situation. When you are stressed, you have to learn how to handle that stress. That’s what the kids are doing. They’re learning right now.”

The tournament features 14 divisions — seven for boys and seven for girls — with participants ranging from 3 to 18 years old. Boys 13 and under and all the girls divisions will play at Westview, and the 14- to 18-year-old boys will play at Spring Lake. Tee times begin at 7 a.m. at Spring Lake and 8 a.m. at Westview.

The tournament not only allows Quincy to show of its golf courses, but the flow of people from more than 20 states and at least a half dozen countries provides a boost to the economy, as well.

“They’re eating at our restaurants, staying at our hotels, in their Airbnb’s, playing golf,” Christensen said. “I can’t tell you how many different people have come up to me and said, ‘I played in this from the time I was 8 until I was 18, and now I’ve got my kids coming here. We’ve been waiting for them to get old enough so they can come play.’ It’s one of the great Quincy traditions for 52 years. We’re blessed to have all these people come to play golf with us — old friends, new friends. It’s a lot of fun.”

The Mazes are some of those new friends, and they are making the most of their stay. Eric said they may even try out Maid-Rite, too.

“We’re looking forward to making a nice little vacation out of it,” Eric Maze said.

With setup complete and golfers set to tee off, the only source of stress now for Christensen is the threat of rain, though things are looking promising for Tuesday.

“That’s got me nervous,” Christensen said. “Obviously, I have to worry about that because I’m the guy in charge, and I have to come up with a plan if it rains. I’ve got about 14 different ones going through my mind, but none of them do any good until I know what time it quits raining.”

Prayers are for no rain and another smooth operation at one of Quincy’s crowned jewels.

“The best thing is the event starting,” Schrage said. “When you hear that first tee shot, it’s like, ‘Alright, here we go.’ Now you’re keeping an eye on the forecast and the weather apps and making sure nothing crazy happens.”