Golfing for Kids – Some Tips for the Excited Parent Teacher

Being as it is a very difficult sport to master, It is of a great advantage to kids learning golf to start at an early age. Probably the best tip for parents who wish to teach their children golf, is to always offer your children plenty of encouragement.

Golf camps can provide an excellent learning opportunity for kids in golf, and they come in a variety of formats. Your family can opt for day camps, weeklong resident camps, and parent-child camps. The camps that feature the involvement of both parent and child allow the adults and children to benefit from spending time together while improving their golf game. If your child is older, and aspiring to be a pro, there is yet another option. There are some academies that allow your children to board in and learn competitive golf while also participating in regular academic programs.

If you are not interested in camps, your local golf club may offer classes for kids. Also, various associations provide free or low cost clinics for children who want to learn how to play golf. Although you may wish to teach your child how to play yourself, this is not always the best option. For kids, it is often worth the time and expense to have them taught properly by a professional.

However, if you do wish to be the one to teach your own child the game of golf, there are a variety of ways to go about this as well as things that you should keep in mind.

For starters, you should always begin with the proper equipment: An old set of adult clubs can be cut down in size and re-gripped for your child. Children who are two to five years old should play with ladies clubs as they are not as heavy and use just one iron and a putter that have been shortened.  Once children are about six to ten years old, a wedge, two more irons and a three wood, which should still be ladies clubs can be added to their game. They still may need to be shortened for size however.  It is at around eleven to fourteen years old that they can begin to use a complete set of ladies, standard sized clubs. Junior boys, who are fifteen and older, should be ready to play golf with a full set of men’s clubs.

It is very important that your children learn about different shots. You can practice by taking your child to a driving range. The best thing to do is to start your child with putting which is the most important stroke in golf. The put is fairly easy to understand, allowing your child to gain interest in golf while becoming familiar with hitting the ball. After the put, your child should learn the chip and run, this teaches them the short game, while allowing them develop the essentials of the swing. Next they advance to full swing iron shots, and then move along to woods.

One of the most important factors in your child gaining an interest in golf is making it enjoyable for them. You could start by selecting a program that fosters their interest in the game while allowing them to have fun.

Overall, it is the parent’s who influence their child’s enjoyment of the game. If you visit the driving range, bring along a friend of your child’s, make the outing fun as well as educational.

When your child has a grasp of the game, try visiting a golf course or a Par 3 course. Aim to take your child during non-peak hours so that your child is not faced with any pressures to hurry through their game to accommodate other players who may be waiting their turn.

Your children can also be exposed to golf in other ways. You may want to watch a PGA or LPGA show on television with them or attend a golf tour in your area. You could even just take them to the golf course and have them watch other people play.

If you want to know how much potential your child has, the best way is to have them play against a peer. A parent needs to encourage their child to take part in as many golf events as possible. It is at these events that the potential of the golfer begins to shine through. When success has been achieved at smaller events, they can move onto bigger tournaments. As your child’s game gets better, they will continue to move upward.

It is always important to remember that you are doing this for your child, not for you. To be interested in learning, the game has to be enjoyable for a child, not filled with stress. Golf is an excellent way for parents and their children to spend time together, learn something new, and stay active.

Â