So you love golf, and you want to get your kids involved. It’s a great idea!
There is nothing better than taking you kids to play a round of golf. It’s fun!
Spending time on the golf course away from smart phones, computers and social media, is a great way too spend some quality time with your kids.
Get them started with an inexpensive set of clubs they can call their own, and the’ll get excited about playing golf with you and their friends.
FACT: 2.5 Million Juniors played golf on a course in 2019. 36% of today’s juniors are girls compared to 15% in 2000 – Source National Golf Foundation
9 ways to get kids into golf
- Let them have fun
- Keep the game short
- Don’t pressure them
- Junior Golf Clubs
- Speak their language
- Don’t start lessons too soon
- Be supportive
- Reward them
- Let them be in charge
1. Let them have fun
Don’t be a grinch! If you want your kids to experience golf and stick with it, let them have fun. If they play with a smile on their face, they’ll probably want to play again.
To make golf fun, why not take them for a game of mini golf, it takes less time to play and it’s a great way for them to experience playing golf. in a fun way.
10 most unique mini golf courses in the USA >
Remember! when playing with your kids, keep it light. Let them have the freedom to express themselves, and they’ll want to keep playing.
TIP: If you have a golfing buddy who has kids why not get them to join you and make it a social event. The kids will be more involved if their friends are with them.
2. Keep the game short
Golf can take up to 4-5 hours, your kids, aren’t going to want to be playing for that length of time, without them pulling out their smartphone, and messaging their friends!
You’ve got to keep the game short, they have a short attention span and if they start to get bored, it won’t be fun anymore.
A good idea is to take them to the driving range. You can spend 30 minutes just letting them loose with their driver, hitting targets.
If you want to take them out onto the golf course just play a few holes to begin with, or let them follow you, and let them play when they want.
3. Don’t pressure them
If your a competitive player with your friends, don’t be with your kids. There is nothing worse than making your kid cry because he missed a 3 foot putt.
If you start to pressure them they’ll more likely walk away, and they won’t want to pick up a golf club again.
This goes back to letting them have fun. Coaching can come later, if they’re enjoying just playing, they’ll want to come back.
4. Junior Golf Clubs
Sharing your clubs with your kid is a cheaper way to go, but will put them at a disadvantage. Your clubs are not set up for their height or skill, and the grips will be too big and the shafts too long.
Some of the top manufacturers including Callaway and Wilson now make golf sets specifically for juniors. When a kid has his or her own clubs they will feel more confident, and more likely to continue playing.
The quality of these sets have come along way and take design and technology from their adult sets, and include graphite shafts a larger sweet spot and cavity backed irons. Children grow up fast, so the golf sets are produced in various sizes for any age.
With modern design and technology hitting the ball straight and further has never been easier. You can get them off to the best start with a new set for less than $200
Check out junior golf club set reviews >
5. Speak their language
Don’t talk to them in golf speak, it’s too early, and it will be confusing for them. Just speak to them like a kid. Talk in terms that they’ll understand.
Golf at the best of times can be confusing, so don’t burden them with too much knowledge and terminology. They’ll get more out of playing if they’re not burden with knowing every nuance of the game.
6. Don’t start lessons too soon
You may think your kid is the next Tiger Woods, and keen to get them coached so they can win a major. Don’t do it! Let them find their own level first.
They may ask you for lessons when their ready, but don’t push them into be coached, it’s more pressure for them, let them decide. Or, hang around where others are being coached and your kid may like to join in too.
7. Be supportive
If your kid does good, give them a high five, or say ‘great shot’. Congratulate them on a whatever they do, even if they miss the target.
Don’t correct them every time they make a poor shot, they could start to feel pressured. Best just to say well done, you’ll get it next time. Or point out that you’ve done the same before, and that it’s no big deal.
Being a kid is all about having fun, so to them it’s no big deal if they don’t hit the ball first time. Keep encouraging them!
8. Reward them
If you want your child to continue playing, it could help to give them a reward. You decide what is going to motivate them. It could be a trip to the zoo or a bag of sweets.
You could offer them something golf related like a new club or animal head cover for their driver. Just be imaginative. Kids love to be rewarded and it’ll motivate them do better the next time.
9. Let them be in charge
It’s not easy to say, but don’t boss them around, let your kids be in charge. If you want them to enjoy playing with you, you’ve got to give them some leeway.
Let them tell you what club they want to use or the shot they want to make. Later when they want to play more, you can offer your advice.
Related questions…
What age to start golf lessons?
It’s never too young to get your kids playing golf, the earlier the better. Tiger Woods was two when he started. Some kids develop more quickly than others. If they can pick up a child’s golf club then they could start to learn.
It’s a fine balance in giving your kid golf lessons. Too soon, and they will get frustrated if they don’t understand instructions from the coach, too late and you may have missed a window of opportunity, and valuable coaching time.
If your child is bright at school, then I would advise to get them lessons as soon as possible. A young child’s brain is a sponge, and they can pick things up quickly, if this is the case, get them booked in for a lesson. If your child has less attention span, then it maybe worth waiting until they’re a little older.
Five years old is an ideal age to start golf lessons. By this age the child has developed enough to understand instructions from a golf coach. We’d advise that between 18 months to 3 years is good time to start introducing them to golf, just for fun.
When a young child has a a golf club in their hand, It’s important to consider safety. You may think you’re handing them a club to play golf, they might see it as something to whack everything they can reach.
If you have a toddler, and keen to get them holding a golf club, there are some inexpensive golf sets, ideal for letting them experience hitting or putting a ball.
Designed specifically for toddlers, they made of child friendly materials, hard plastics.
As long as they’re having fun and with a smile on their face, age isn’t going to matter. To them they’re are just enjoying whacking the ball, and won’t care where the ball lands, be patient and before you know you could have a golf prodigy on your hands!
How do i get my daughter to play golf?
If you’ve got a young daughter, there’s never been a better time to introduce them to golf. The women’s tour is becoming ever more popular, and women golfers are becoming superstars.
According to statistics 36% of today’s juniors are girls compared to 15% in 2000.
To help get your daughter involved, check to see if any of your friends have daughters who play golf, and set up a meeting at the golf club or driving range.
Or take them to a women’s golf tournament to experience which are played all over the country. When they see other girls playing it’ll motivate them to get involved.
Girls love fashion, and the top brands are now producing great looking sportswear for girl golfers.
Best kids golf clubs
If after reading our article, you want to get your kids playing golf check out or reviews of the best junior golf sets >
