Kid getting into golf? Here are 3 things every parent should know | Instruction

Your child has just attended a junior golf live last summer, and now they are stuck. Registration for local junior fall programs is now open, and you want to take advantage. Soon, it will be the holidays, and it seems that junior clubs are on the wish list. Or maybe it’s been a couple of years since your child first picked up the game, and now they want to take it more seriously, maybe even compete in tournaments.

So, what should you do now? What is the next step?

I get bombarded with these types of questions from parents all the time. What club should we have? What kind of program should we look at? Or simply, what’s next? Here are some answers to help point you in the right direction.

1. Get the right size clubs

Sized or properly sized clubs are extremely important for junior golfers, regardless of age or skill level. For younger kids, lightweight youth clubs are the way to go. Also remember that buying junior clubs is not like buying clothes or sneakers for a growing child, where you can go a size or two bigger and let them grow into them. With the junior clubs, you you want your children to grow out of them instead.

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Longer clubs can do a tremendous disservice to your child’s development. They can be 15 to 30 percent heavier than clubs sized appropriately for the child’s height. This means that even if your child chokes down an inch or so on the grip, the clubs will still be too heavy and stiff. This can lead to poor swing technique and compensatory movements. Time will eventually be wasted trying to teach those bad habits out of your child when they get older. Most importantly, undersized clubs can lead to pain and injury. Even if the clubs are slightly shorter than the standard length for your child’s height, they do not hinder their development or well-being.

Simply cutting down adult clubs is also a no-no. Cutting a shaft by an inch makes it stiffer from half to full flex if the head weight stays the same. This means that a regular flex tree cut by two inches could effectively become a rigid or even extra rigid tree – and that’s for an adult. Imagine what it must feel like for a junior.

If you are shopping for a junior club set and the box lists age groups as the primary size guide, you should look elsewhere. Companies like US Kids Golf and PING They do a masterful job of providing top quality junior equipment, emphasizing proper fit based on the golfer’s height rather than age. US Kids Golf has an extensive but easy-to-understand fitting schedule for parents to use, which you can see it here.

One thing I see more and more, especially among young competitive junior golfers, are adult clubs showing up in their bags. The last driver, the longest, appears in a child’s bag, and the peer pressure turns on. Suddenly, every child needs the same driver or something similar, all in the constant search for more distance. This desire for instant gratification can harm your child’s long-term development.

Keep this in mind: the average clubhead speed of a woman in her 50s is in the low to mid 70 mph range, while a man in his 60s typically swings in the 80s to 90s. These speeds roughly correspond to what today’s equipment companies label as women’s, senior/lite and regular flexes. If your child isn’t swinging their junior driver at 75 mph or faster, don’t even consider putting an adult driver in their bag.

2. Find proper instructions

Looking for an instructor with a good reputation to work with juniors and a development program that is fun, engaging and challenging. Operation 36 and US Kids Golf each maintain extensive lists of certified instructors and their locations on their respective websites.

Over the past 10 to 15 years, junior golf coaching has benefited from excellent educational opportunities, including Operation 36, Titleist Performance Institute’s Junior Golf Coach Seminars and US Kids Golf certifications. As a result, junior development programs around the country have become increasingly informed, with more resources, education and planning dedicated to the long-term development of young golfers.

Junior golf programming has become the new gym class. With education budgets being slashed across the country, physical education classes are increasingly focused on walking around a track rather than developing physical fitness and athletic ability. What other athletic program uses equipment from other sports, such as tennis rackets, baseballs, and soccer balls, to help train athletes for their own sport like golf?

When looking for golf instruction and coaching for your kids, do your homework. Research your options, try different programs in your area and see which one is the best fit for your child.

3. Listen to proven experts

Once you find the right instructor and program, let them do their work. An integral part of a good program is to understand that the instructor is educated to your child and you. Make every effort to participate in the educational opportunities that the junior program offers, such as rules tutorials and parent meetings.

Don’t just rely on YouTube videos and parenting forums on social media. It’s a 50-50 game whether the information you find will help or hurt your understanding of the game and your child’s progress.

Follow the instructor’s practice plans to avoid conflicting information. If you have thoughts or ideas you want to share with your child, talk to the instructor first and get their input before moving on. Doing your own thing or giving advice to your child that contradicts the instructor’s guidance will only serve to undermine the developmental path that the program has set for your child’s long-term growth in the game.

Good junior coaches understand that parents only want the best for their children. Long-term development, rather than immediate gratification, should always be the focus. That’s why I emphasize to other teachers that working with juniors is a “two for one” transaction: We teach and train both the child and the parents.