ASSESS.DESIGN.IMPROVE.
Amateurs practice to get it right,
Elite players practice until they can't get it wrong
Coach Franz
How do I get my child interested in golf?
Golf is able to be a lot of fun. Children can get into it by playing with their friends or as a bonding activity with you. Yet, tread carefully, as children will learn to dislike the game if it is not fun, or they find difficulties with it. They may begin to feel pressured to play by you or their coach, as there is often too much emphasis placed on the competitive aspect. Be sure to remember to keep it fun and engaging. Let your child(ren) show you what they like and once they've had enough, end the day; Never overdo it.
What should and shouldn't I do?
Teaching juniors to play golf is a highly specialized skill, so be sure to leave it to us! Oftentimes when parents hover over their child(ren) and attempt to teach them, it can create unwanted tensions and frustrations for everyone. Making mistakes, not understanding concepts, and learning to work through them themselves is a critical part of the learning process, so be sure to leave the coaching to us. Feel free to also bring us any concerns you may have along the way, and remember: Don't force them to play or practice if they don't want to!
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Lastly, remember that not all kids develop at the same rate. Some mature early and others mature late. The good news is that we take those factors into consideration when teaching your child(ren), as maturity and development cannot be forced. Allow your child(ren) to take the time they need to develop into a young aspiring golfer if that's what they want. Forcing them to perform skills that they are not ready for may ultimately be disastrous for them in the long run.
Is there a recommended starting age if my child wants to play?
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There are two different types of sports:
1. (ESS) Early Specialization Sports (gymnastics, diving, etc), where you must excel at an early age to compete at an elite level.
2. (LSS) Late Specialization Sports (golf, baseball etc), where most professional athletes spend 10 or more years honing their skills.
Golf fits into the LSS category, which means your child can start at any age. If a child who is learning to play golf is trained as if they are doing an ESS, it likely that they will develop physical imbalances, overuse injuries, burnout, and have underdeveloped FMS. Cross-training using sports that develop the overall athletic ability, and that have a high transfer of skill into golf will give them their best chance of achieving their potential. Ensure that any equipment your child uses is lightweight and easy to grasp.
Credit: Titleist Performance Institute Junior 2 Program
Why is training important?
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The great thing about being a child is that you're automatically good at many activities; Running, hopping, jumping, skipping, and more. These come in handy when learning to play golf, as children should be well balanced, agile, coordinated, possess well-developed kicking, throwing, catching, and striking skills, and have great spatial and body awareness.
If any of these fundamental skills are missing, learning to play golf is more difficult and your child(ren) may never reach their potential in golf or any other sport they choose to play. Cross-training allows us to teach the basic movements of the golf swing without as much effort.
Credit: Titleist Performance Institute Junior 2 Program
Screening: What is it?
A screening is a series of simple activities that we conduct periodically to help assess the development of your child(ren)’s fundamental movement skills and fundamental sports skills. The information gained from the screening allows us to prescribe games and activities to your child(ren) in the training program that will develop any areas that need attention.
Credit: Titleist Performance Institute Junior 2 Program
What golf clubs should I get for my child(ren)?
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All clubs should be tailored for length and have no cut downs. For your five to nine year old, we recommend:
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Driver: Lightweight kids hybrid, preferably with 25 lofts or more,
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Irons: Lightweight 6 or 7 iron, preferably with plenty of lofts,
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Putter: Lightweight,
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Pitching/Sand wedge: Lightweight, preferably with plenty of lofts.
Cute little golf bags and buggies are also optional.
Credit: Titleist Performance Institute Junior 2 Program
College Golf Information
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CJGA Junior Golf Hub provides robust technology tools and education that help players advance to U.S. college golf. The Hub allows Junior Golfers to build a compelling profile and then ‘Find and Follow’ college golf programs they are interested in. College coaches search our database of talent and then follow golfers they are interested in recruiting. In addition, Premium members can access The Hub’s Essential Guide to college golf recruiting which contains clear, step-by-step instructions to playing at the next level.