L.A. Youth at Work is up to Par.

Golf's powers-that-be cannot beat the youth drum hard enough these days. Every few weeks, another news conference is held to announce the industry's latest attempt to woo today's 10- to 15-year-olds onto the golf courses of America. What with 300-odd courses opening for play each year and equipment manufacturers spitting out products at record rates, golf's master planners rightly see young people as vital to the Big Picture -- that is, the game's continued growth.

The Smaller Picture has been dear to managers of municipally owned golf facilities for some time. Engaging local kids has always been vital, whether it's introducing youngsters to the game of golf itself or giving them a chance to gain valuable work experience.

Tom Levin has concentrated on the latter pursuit via a model work program that provides inner-city kids the opportunity to earn their very first paycheck.

Levin is head superintendent at Victoria Golf Course, a Carson, California, facility owned by Los Angeles County and operated by Arnold Palmer Golf Management. Since 1995, Levin has actively participated in L.A. Youth at Work, a four-year-old program, instituted by L.A.'s Private Industry Council, which provides young adults with paid summer internships.

"It couldn't have worked out any better for us, and I think the kids really draw something positive from the experience," said Levin, who has put at least one Los Angeles youth to work each summer since 1995. "Right away, the work makes these kids feel part of a team. If they feel accepted, they seem more prepared to accept guidance, which in turn leads to work ethic, in my opinion."

When the summer stints are finished, Levin writes each intern a letter of commendation and recommendation, which, ideally, leads to further work experiences. "For these kids, it's valuable to see that a good work ethic pays off," said Levin. "I would really encourage people to get involved with programs like this one. If they don't exist, it seems to me they wouldn't be so difficult to start."

Levin came to Victoria four years ago from the Westin Mission Hills Resort in Palm Springs, where he served as assistant course superintendent. The move to Los Angeles County was a serious change of scenery: from a decidedly posh resort and spa to a municipal layout that sits on a former landfill near the intersection of interstates 110 and 405. Yet the move meant Levin could run his own course-maintenance operation. It also meant an improved climatic situation. "It was just too hot for me there in the desert," he explained.

While Levin was aware that Palmer Management had a strong reputation for community outreach, he was pleasantly surprised by the organization's top-to-bottom commitment. "Jim Ellison [Palmer's vice president of golf-course maintenance] makes it very dear that he wants all of his superintendents involved in the communities around Palmer-managed golf courses," Levin recalled. "Not too long after I got to Victoria, I heard about L.A. Youth at Work through an advertisement on the radio. Then I saw a billboard on Sunset Boulevard that said, `L.A. Youth at Work: helps youngsters get their first job.'

"So I called them up and told them what we did here. We didn't need anyone with any prior experience. But we did need them here every morning by 4:30 a.m."

That's an early hour by anyone's standards -- early enough to scare off a healthy portion of the nation's adult work force. Yet, L.A. Youth at Work soon produced two eager 17-year-olds, Raoul and Jorge, who promptly joined Levin's maintenance crew.

"These kids didn't have their own cars, but they were always here on time -- partly because the parents were very eager to get them here on time," Levin explained. "I've found the parents are just as eager to please as the kids."

It's safe to say that most L.A. Youth at Work inters haven't played golf, so they needed to learn the importance of being unobtrusive and respectful around the golfers. And while Levin believes training teenagers is no more difficult than anything else, he has learned some important dos and don'ts.

"First of all, never make it a surprise to other workers that these city kids are coming to work here. I learned that the hard way," Levin explained. "At first, the kids are always accompanied by an experienced crew member. We tend to keep a close eye on them at first, or else they tend to wander around a bit. I've also found a word of encouragement to be real helpful.

"At the end of the day, I would say something like, `Gee, you're doing a great job; I hope you come back tomorrow.' Everyone likes their work to be appreciated.

"A lot of this is simple common sense, but you have to remember these kids have never held a job before. Some things you have to spell out for them.

"For example, we had one guy show up for his interview in a skin-tight tank top, pants that were 10 times too big, with a belt hanging way down. He was just a kid without any experience. So I had a talk with him about how we dress on the job; then I told him he probably should not show up to an interview like that. He ended up working all summer for me."

Tom Levin's office is an extremely busy place, as workers continually bustle in and out, giving direction and asking questions. "Excuse me," says Levin, turning to address a crew member, "Esta en la casa blanca, compadre." Of the 10 permanent members of Levin's crew, he and just one other man are bilingual. The remainder speak only Spanish. When Levin arrived at Victoria, his Spanish was extremely limited. Today, after four semesters of study at El Camino Community College, he's nearly fluent.

This sort of commitment no longer surprises Andrea Foggy, the codirector of L.A. Youth at Work. "Tom's been working with this program for four years now, and he always comes back, no matter how well the kids might work out each summer. He's committed, and he's been able to get that sort of commitment from his kids. I know I couldn't get up every day at 4 a.m."

Levin, who tends to treat his involvement as a given, is quick to deflect such praise. "The Spanish? Well, it was sink or swim when I got here. And I have to say that Palmer has been very supportive of my going to school; they foot the bill for it. They're great people to work for, and they're 100 percent behind our involvement in L.A. Youth at Work. The Palmer folks always make a point of coming out and meeting the kids we hire. But, more important, they show their commitment every year by budgeting the money to hire these guys."

Foggy can appreciate Palmer's role, but she reserves special praise for those who work in the trenches. "There are some individuals, like Tom Levin, who truly believe in giving young people an opportunity. But not enough," she says. "We need more people like Tom. A lot more."

Hal Phillips is a freelance writer living in New Gloucester, Maine.