Golfing and Your Kids

If you think your child may be the next Vijay Singh or that they have the predisposition for the game of golf, you need to learn how to best teach them the game without crowding their plate with development expectations. You need to be able to learn that they are ready and willing to learn and how to find out if you child has what it takes to become a quality player in the world of golf.

Golf, a detailed and complex sport, can be tough to teach to kids. For this reason, get them started early and ensure that you build a firm foundation in their gameplay so that they learn to be confident in the sport and in their own abilities. This type of learned confidence can help them embrace the complexities of the game as a whole and will turn them into golfers that are ready to learn.

Once a child is walking well independently and able to hold a child-sized golf club, he or she is probably ready for the first introduction to the sport. This can happen when the child is as young as two or three years old. Preschool children will not be ready to play golf as a game, but they can be given small putters and practice swinging the club correctly.

Children at this age learn almost everything through imitation. The best way to teach them proper swinging and putting techniques is to demonstrate, and then have them imitate the motions. But use caution that you do not make this tedious for the child. These imitation sessions should be short and fun. Try having the child hit a small balloon. Not only will this be fun, but the child will also have success in hitting the balloon, which will keep the frustration at bay. To make it even more fun, try filling the balloons with water for added resistance! This is a great summer time activity for you and for your child!

Once the child has entered school and has a good handle on the swinging and putting techniques learned through observation, it is time to start teaching the game of golf. School aged children are accustomed to verbal instruction and can listen to explanations about the game better than their preschool counterparts. You need to keep in mind, however, that they are still children! They will thrive on encouragement, and all teaching sessions should be kept upbeat!

Start by taking your child to the driving range. Show your son or daughter how to hit the ball correctly, aiming for distance. The driving range is a good place to start since there is not a specific target they must reach, so the child is less likely to get frustrated. After the child demonstrates aptitude on the driving range, you can head to the course. By this point you should be able to tell whether or not your child is going to share your love for the game of golf.

Ensure that you do not push your child into the sport of golf. Many parents are often pushy and wish for their kids to succeed so that they might live vicariously through that success. Instead of pushing so hard, take a step back and observe what your child is into. You can work from that standpoint of understanding and help your child become more functionally aware of their own abilities.