EPSTEIN'S CAMP WAS A TRUE SHOT; IDEA BECOMES BOON FOR KID GOLFERS.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Daily News Staff Writer

In 1987, when Birmingham High teacher and coach Chick Epstein came up with the then-radical idea of starting a summer day camp devoted entirely to golf, he sensed the snickers.

``When I first started in the business of camping, people said, `You're not going to be able to keep kids just with golf,'' Epstein said. ``They said kids can't play just one thing all day and told me good luck if I tried.''

Twelve years and nearly 3,000 youth golfers later, no one is laughing. But a lot of grateful young and no-longer-young golfers are smiling in appreciation and feeling lucky that they gave it a try.

Fairways Golf Camp, which launches another 10-week summer of youth golf instruction June 22 at the Sepulveda Basin golf complex, has successful alumni throughout the area - many of whom have returned to work as camp assistants throughout the years.

Some of the best high school golfers in the San Fernando Valley got their start in the Fairways program, including Birmingham senior-to-be Keith Romar, one of Epstein's former campers who is now a camp instructor.

``Mainly it helped my short game,'' said Romar, a promising baseball player who came to his first Fairways camp the summer before he began ninth grade. He soon became more interested in golf than baseball and this year had one of the best rounds in the City Section - shooting a 6-under-par 66 at Knollwood.

Romar said he never tired of just golf as a camper and says the game seems equally popular with current Fairways campers. ``It helps when they start,'' he said. ``You see a lot of kids improve in their whole game. I think mainly a lot of kids go out there to have fun.''

Epstein, who has been teaching golf for 30 years, always hoped it would be fun. But he has also been pleased to see Fairways alums go on to win league titles (Alemany High's Brian Woolf the past two seasons) and help teams win City Section titles (Chatsworth's Scott Brokaw last year and Granada Hills' Darrin Schneider this year).

The Fairways camp, which is for boys and girls aged 7-17, offers instruction in all phases of the game, from etiquette and rules study through chipping, putting, bunker play and full swing. Attention to impact position and a review of daily videotaping are key elements of the program, which is offered in five two-week sessions of six hours per day. Cost is $445 per session with a 10-percent discount for additional family members.

Information on the Fairways Golf Camp: [phone].

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PHOTO (Color) Birmingham High coach Chick Epstein met with lots of pessimism before he started his successful Fairways Golf Camp in 1987.

Evan Yee/Daily News