Maybe your child has expressed an interest in golf on their own or maybe they’re following in a family member’s footsteps. Either way, you find yourself with a junior Arnold Palmer looking to take up the game. And why not? Aside from encouraging children to get outside and be active, golf offers many other benefits like family fun, a lifetime hobby, and valuable life skills like focus, determination and patience.
Here are a few tips to help youngsters get started the right way, save yourself some money and spend time enjoying the game together.
Practice Productively
Once they express interest in upping their golf game, make sure to get in practice time when the course isn’t busy so kids can drive, putt and chase to their heart’s content without holding up the groups behind you.
Keep It Fun
Get kids out on the green even if they only want to hit a few holes before hitting the club house. Make your time there enjoyable too! Give lots of praise and keep constructive criticism to a minimum. Instead, find something to compliment on each shot.
Coach at Their Level
Keep age in mind when coaching your child, get down to their level and watch how you say and what you say. Keep it simple, and if necessary, use visuals instead of verbals.
“Golf combines two favorite American pastimes; taking long walks and hitting things with a stick.” – P.J. O’Rourke
Give Them The Right Equipment
Golf clubs and accessories can be incredibly expensive. To keep kids in properly sized clubs, parents have had no alternative but to buy entirely new sets of clubs each time their child grows as little as 3 inches. If a child starts playing at age 6 or 7, the cost of clubs grows to more than $2000, easily an expense that many parents aren’t able to afford.
Because of this, golf clubs tends to be an area that gets compromised either staying in clubs that are too short and light or getting the next size up thinking they’ll just grow into them. Unfortunately, it’s very important that kids are equipped with properly fitting gear. As kids grow, their clubs need to get longer and heavier. If kids play with equipment that’s too big or small, they develop bad habits.
Don’t forget the golf shoes!
When introducing kids to the game of golf, it is crucial to emphasize the importance of wearing proper golf shoes. These specialized shoes provide essential support, stability, and traction, which are vital for maintaining a good stance and promoting a smooth, efficient swing.
As young golfers develop their skills, well-fitting golf shoes can help prevent slips and falls on the course, ensuring their safety and boosting their confidence. Proper golf footwear also enhances overall comfort during long hours of practice, allowing kids to stay focused and enjoy the learning process without distractions or discomfort.
By wearing appropriate golf shoes from the outset, children can establish a strong foundation for their golfing technique, fostering good habits that will serve them well as they progress in the sport. If you don’t know where to look, The Left Rough has a great article recommending the best golf shoes for all members of the family.
These are great tips. My kids have played gold and really enjoyed themselves. I was surprised by how much they took to it. They won’t watch it on tv though, they say that’s boring.
My husband and I were just discussing this. He is an avid golfer and we want to introduce our seven year old to golf soon, it is such a great sport.
It is good to always encourage our children to get involved in sports. Mine are into basketball. My cousin is an avid golfer and his daughters are picking up the interest too. Thanks for sharing!
This is really brilliant – I never thought of golf for my son – because he was a bit insecure about group games like soccer, football, etc – this would probably have been really great!