Washtenaw County saw its share of high school golf success this past school year; from the the Saline girls team finishing as runners-up at the Division 1 state finals last fall to the Greenhills School boys finishing fourth in Division 4 this spring.

For the first time this summer, junior golfers in Washtenaw County have a chance to hone their games in the Washtenaw Junior Tour, which kicks off Thursday at Huron Hills in Ann Arbor.

The tour, which is open to golfers aga 9 to 18 and travels to 11 different courses throughout the summer, is organized by Nathan Oake, a PGA pro who coaches Hartland High School and started the Livingston Junior Tour five years ago.

Area high school coaches, like Pioneer High School’s girls head coach and boys assistant Steve Rodriguez, are pleased to see Oake’s junior tour migrate to Washtenaw County.

“I’m pretty excited about it, because it’s going to feature some of the courses that will factor into the high school season,” said Rodriguez.

“The kids get to play in local events and they don’t have to travel a great deal. It’s exciting to have something so convenient and close to home. It’s kind of a breath of fresh air.”

The Washtenaw Junior Tour runs 11 weeks, ending with the tour championship at the University of Michigan Golf Course on Aug. 5. For more information visit www.washtenawjuniorgolf.com.