GP Junior (Jun-July 18) Digital (June-July 18) | Page 29

Instruction
in 2016. As you can see, there are a lot
more options for parents now than just a
few years ago, but ultimately, parents are
the catalyst to the growth of their child’s
interest in golf. A visit to the driving range
where your child and you can spend time
together is an excellent way to get started.
Remember that the ¿ rst trip to the driving
range or golf course may not even involve
hitting a golf ball. A ride in the golf cart
or raking the bunker may be more fun to
a lot of kids at a young age. Invite some
of your child’s friends along so that they
associate golf with FUN. Understand
that this is for your child; don’t expect to
work on your game. Try not to have any
expectations and or goals. Having them
hit 100 balls in a row before they can
leave or get their treat may reduce their
interest. Basically you are there to see if
they like the game and not to force them
to play. When they’re done, it’s time to
go. If they like it, the sessions will get
longer and longer. Many parents ask,
what is the correct age to start? There
isn’t one correct answer. Any age is
¿ ne as long as they are interested. Body
language and attitude will let you know.
A treat at the end of the visit is great. It
associates golfwith fun, but if you have to
bribe them to go to the golf course, they
may not be ready just yet. What to do
about clubs and how many? To begin, get
them a putter and a wedge that were made
for a kid their height. No more cut down
clubs, there are many options these days
made speci¿ cally for juniors. Get them a
wedge because it is shorter and easier to
get in the air. Once they’ve been playing
a while they will want the longer clubs,
but a couple of clubs is a good start. Plus,
you may not want to make the investment
until you see if they like the game. Once
an interest has been developed, visit your
local course or Par 3. The best time for
your child’s maiden voyage in golf is
during non-peak hours. This means in
the afternoon so that your child is not
subject to the pressures of pace of play
requirements of a busy facility. A good tip
is to start from the green backwards. Start
with a few putts from 10 feet, and then
move to chipping, and then to 10 yards
off the green. There are no set of tees
for ¿ rst timers, so don’t start at the front
tees. Start close to the green and let them
have some success and enjoy the game.
Move them back as their game improves
and they can hit the ball farther. Sooner
or later they’ll ask for help. Parents
are great in the beginning, just keep it
positive and don’t have any expectations.
Be aware of the point when you need to
look to a PGA or LPGA Professional. Not
only for their golf knowledge but it’s a
different relationship than your child has
with you. The best way to ¿ nd a junior
teacher is to ask other parents who have
kids playing golf. If you don’t have that
option, US Kids Golf (www.uskidsgolf.
com) ranks the best kids teachers in the
country and you can ¿ nd one near you.
One last idea is to bring your child to a
professional event. It really depends on
what is near your home, whether it is the
PGA TOUR or a smaller event. Most big
events have a kid’s clinic and some like
the PGA TOUR’s Honda Classic have a
kid’s day. Getting to know or even meet
one of the professionals can spark some
interest. As a parent your role involves
two things; access and encouragement.
This will pass along your love for the
game. Keeping these few tips in mind will
also get your child’s golf career going in
the right direction.
GolfPlus Junior June-July 2018
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