With a piece of green carpeting, a little PVC pipe and some imagination, Mark Johnson is introducing his Whittier High School physical education students to the game of golf.

Johnson, an avid golfer himself, has created a six-hole miniature golf course “to give the kids an opportunity to do something they haven’t done before.” Half of his students had never played miniature golf before he set up the course a couple of weeks ago.

“We had the carpet here and there were a couple of games we played on it,” Johnson said. He spent about $30 on PVC pipe to create the hole boundaries and on putting targets. Some of his golfing buddies donated putters they weren’t using.

“Each day they play it, they enjoy it a little bit more,” Johnson said of his students. “It’s an inexpensive thing, it’s inside and it’s fun for them.”

Student Mariah Motley agreed, saying she likes the change from the previous routine. Fellow student Mason Klein enjoys playing golf and heading out to the driving range; he is hopeful the miniature golf course will improve his putting game.

Johnson said the game helps students with hand-eye coordination and they get to do some problem solving as they make their way through the course. For the spring, he has plans to head out to Elm Hills Golf Course “and let them drive the ball a little bit.

“I’m trying to introduce some sports that a lot of them never get a chance to play,” Johnson said.

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