Look up the word passion in the dictionary and don’t be surprised if Mizara Norton’s picture shows up. Norton is the captain of her golf team, serves on the Youth On Course golf council, has started a non-profit with her sister to help junior golfers and has an Instagram account that is dedicated to her life and golf. Oh, did we mention she’s a 16-year-old rising junior at The Meadows High School? –Bill Bowman, www.LasVegasGolfInsider.com staff

“My sister (Milan) and myself are really, really lucky to have been able to play golf,” she said. “Golf can be very expensive and if Youth On Course can help get more and more kids involved that is really awesome.”

Visit her official website, MizaraNorton.com

Youth On Course is an organization that is based in California but is solidly entrenched in Southern Nevada. The program reaches out to golf courses to help ensure junior players can tee it up for as little as $5 at some of Vegas’ finest layouts. The Southern Nevada Junior Golf Association is a partner and all members can access the benefits.

Norton’s passion doesn’t stop there. She also, through many donations from courses, family and friends, has helped provide hundreds of golf clubs for less-privileged kids to get started in the sport.

Going through the experience of being on the Youth On Course has been eye-opening for Norton.

Norton first got involved at age 13.

“I heard there was a board for junior golfers and I applied and was surprised to be selected,” she said. “It’s really exciting to have a voice in trying to help junior golf grow.”

She said she’s seen that while many kids would like the chance to play, the cost can be a factor.

Hence the Youth On Course advantage.

“Youth On Course has given so many kids the chance to play golf,” she said. “Seeing kids get this opportunity and see them having fun has become a passion of mine.”

She added the SNJGA has also had a big impact on her love of the sport and her passion for it.

“Through the SNJGA I have gotten the chance to meet new players who would become some of my closest friends,” she said. “And playing SNJGA is a great place for all juniors to be able to play tournament golf. It allows players from all across the valley to come together and enjoy such an amazing sport.”

The junior-to-be sees plenty of golf in her future.

“I’m planning to play college golf and then, if it works out, to play on the (LPGA) Tour,” she said. “That would be amazing.”

To that end, she isn’t taking her last two years of high school golf lightly.

“I want to keep practicing hard and help push my game to the best it can be,” she said. “I also want to see first-hand how hard everyone practices and works on their game and make sure I’m getting the most out of my game.”

And there’s more.

The two sisters have co-founded Club It Forward, a 501c3 non-profit to add to the resume.

“We’re just trying to give an opportunity for more and more kids to play the game,” she said of Club It Forward’s impact of reaching out to various groups and clubs to lend a helping hand. “We’ve been lucky enough to be able to play (Milan is on the Faith Lutheran middle school team) and now we want to help empower kids to get that opportunity as well.”

Overall, Norton said she just tries to make sure to pass on words of wisdom if any junior golfers ask.

“Especially now, in high school, everything matters…whether it’s on the golf course or in school,” she said. “I just try to tell them that if you’re going to succeed at anything in life, you just have to try and keep getting better. And that takes hard work.”

And if all of these endeavors aren’t enough, Norton also has a golf Instagram account (girlsgolf702) where she explores all things golf.

“It’s just been a lot of fun but a lot of work,” she said. “But it’s exciting to see all the success.”