Ten-year-old Ava Wilson had always wanted to meet a professional golfer. On Tuesday afternoon, she got something better: a golf lesson from Sam Burns, one of the best players in the world.
“It’s really cool learning to play golf,” Ava said before working with Burns on several iron shots. She’s a left-handed golfer who has been playing for four years with First Tee.
Photo by Alvin Reid | The St. Louis American
“I love it because I can hit the ball well. I’ve always wanted to meet a pro golfer,” Ava said.
Burns, who is 11th in the World Golf Ranking and eighth in the FedEx Cup standings, had played nine holes at Bellerive Country Club on Tuesday morning in preparation for this week’s BMW Championship.
The 50 top-ranked golfers are in St. Louis for the tournament, and the eyes of the golf world will be on Burns and his contemporaries Thursday through Sunday.
Yet, Burns volunteered his afternoon to visit The Highlands public course in Forest Park to meet Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis and Better Family Life members and provide golf instruction on the driving range to the young participants.
“One of the great things about the PGA Tour is I get to travel to many cities, and I’m honored to be with you today,” he told the young golfers.
“Who knows? Maybe there is a future PGA Tour star out here today.”
The Boys & Girls Clubs partners with the youth golf organization First Tee and the Diversity Golf Marketing Foundation to introduce young people to the game, part of a broader effort to expand access to a sport in which Black players historically have faced barriers to participation.
For some of the young golfers, the experience has already led to competition beyond St. Louis. Fifteen golfers from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis’ Mathews-Dickey Club competed in the Ted Rhodes Foundation Youth Golf Tournament in Chicago on Aug. 8, earning top 10 finishes across multiple age divisions.
Photo by Lawrence Bryant | The St. Louis American
They competed against young golfers from throughout the Midwest in the tournament honoring the late Ted Rhodes, who in 1948 became the first African American professional golfer to compete in the U.S. Open.
Anthony Coleman, president and CEO of the Diversity Golf Marketing Foundation, previously told The St. Louis American that HBCU golf coaches attend the tournament looking for young players who could eventually receive college scholarships.
“The first time they pick up a golf club it is important for them to just have fun,” Brandon Williams, BGCSTL president and executive director, said at the course.
“Don’t get frustrated; you’re going to miss the ball. But once they hit it, they are ready to come back and keep learning. We want to offer exposure to the game. It helps keep you calm, stay focused,” Williams said. “It’s about you. Your success depends on how much you work at it.”
Austin Wafford, 13, ripped several shots with a driver as Burns looked on and complimented his stroke.
“I like how it feels to hit the ball,” said the Mathews-Dickey BGC member. “I love the multiple aspects of golf. You have to hit it far. You have to chip. You have to putt.”
Coleman, himself a seasoned golfer, said the program goes beyond introducing young people to the game.
“We teach them the basics, test them and make sure they know the rules,” Coleman said. “It’s 26 consecutive weeks, indoors and outdoors. Ten weeks is not enough. We want to keep them busy and keep them engaged.”
Burns, a five-time PGA Tour winner, two-time Ryder Cup player and LSU alum, thanked Raising Cane’s for sponsoring the event and offering him the chance to hang out with young golfers.
His 2026 season includes five top 10 finishes, a runner-up finish at the U.S. Open and a historic 62 at The Open at Royal Birkdale. He also acknowledged another part of his routine — Cane’s chicken strips.
“Not before I play a round, but definitely after,” he told reporters and the young golfers and parents as they enjoyed the free lunch provided by Raising Cane’s.