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As the popularity of golf continues to skyrocket, new courses seeem to pop up everywhere. One local course, however, remains committed to the love of the sport rather than just trying to cash in on the latest craze.

Hilliard Lakes Golf Course is a family oriented place that was established in 1967 and has received a 4-star rating from Golf Digest Magazine. They offer a challenging 18-hole layout with tree-lined fairways and tactically placed water hazards. The large greens and manicured fairways are guarded by over 60 sand traps. Their goal is to provide golfers with the best possible conditions for their golfing experience.

Ron Zaleski, the head professional at Hilliard Lakes, is dedicated to the people and years he's been there.

"It's a family owned golf course, my father built this 39 years ago," Zaleski said. " It's been here forever. It's a good golf course and is very well maintained."

He talked passionately about Hilliard Lakes and his love for his job.

"It's fun,” he said. “I enjoy dealing with the public. It's a nice place to be — you got trees, birds, what more could you want? It's perfect. It's a nice area and a very comfortable area."

Hilliard Lakes focuses more on customer service and quality. It's unique to their customers on an individual level.

"What makes us special is our personal touch, we talk to people," Zaleski said. "We know everyone that walks in here by first or last name. It's a very personal place. We don't care how many numbers we put through, we make people feel comfortable."

Hilliard Lakes’ main goal is to offer a great quality place for their golfers to play.

"We try to keep the golf course in excellent condition," Zaleski said. "We strive to give everyone a nice comfortable place to play golf."

The family atmosphere is evident when they keep returning year after year. There is a sense of loyalty among the customers that they then share with their children.

"We are on our third generation of golfers already," Zaleski said. "We have the fathers bring their kids and now the kids bring their kids. It's amazing when you see that. It's nice that they keep coming back."

Sandy Davis has been a golf pro at Hilliard Lakes for five years and finds true joy in her job and the place she works.

"I don't think people realize the dedication it takes to have a golf course of this quality and what Ron puts into it," Davis said. "And the people he surrounds the course with. I think that the appreciation of the people that play here speaks for itself in the quality of the golf course. I've been around and I'm as comfortable here as I have ever been. And I'm also a woman. So for me to be treated as nicely as I am here and to be given a privilege to teach golf here is a big deal. A really big deal."

Davis started golfing at age 8 and it stimulated her to teach others the game of golf at a young age.

"Having had that privilege in my youth, I realized how important it was to introduce the game of golf," Davis said. "Golf is so important; I can't tell you how important this game is."

This is the fifth year for the annual youth clinic. There are two age groups offered: one for 6-10 year olds and one for 10-14 year olds. The clinic for the younger children is on July 10 from 11 a.m.-noon. And the older children's clinic is a week later on July 17 from 11 a.m.-noon.

“Starting this program, I try to introduce these kids to the game of golf," Davis said. "We do it for free. I don't only teach them how to swing the club; I talk a little bit about the game itself. And this is a game as well as a sport. There is a mentality to the game, an ethics. You keep your own score. It's an individual sport. If they get started at this age with the fundamentals, I mean the posture, the grip, the basis of the swing, then they have a grasp of the fundamentals. It's like riding a bike, later you'll say, 'hey, I learned how to do that.' That's really why we do this. It’s community service at no charge to these people."

The only requirements are that the children bring their own golf clubs. And there is a maximum of 12 spaces for each age group. But Davis is convinced that if there is an overflow, they could do it again if needed

Hilliard Lakes also offers youth lessons that start at age 6 and up. The cost is $100 for a series of four half -hour lessons that are private.

"The youth clinic is a great introduction but if you really want to learn, it's better one-on-one," Davis said.

Davis makes it known that Hilliard Lakes welcomes everyone.

"This course is very open to all," she said. "Men, women, and youth. It's in the heart of a very playable area. We have a lot of clientele that have lived here forever."