Building a Lifelong Golfer
One of the greatest arguments for taking up golf is that it can be enjoyed at any age. Some people start golfing when they are a toddler and others play well into their 90’s. It truly is the lifelong sport. The only question is how do you become the lifelong golfer?
Today, we are diving into the world of junior golf to understand what characteristics lead to lifelong golfers and how you can help your junior golfer discover their passion for the course.
Different Ages, Different Stages
There is not a set starting age for golf - some kids start before school, others start during elementary school, and some start right before high school. Because of this, there isn’t a specific path that leads to success. Instead, we need to look at the skills each age group should focus on if we want them to become lifelong golfers.
Early Development (Toddler Years)
Every once in a while, a video of a toddler golfing goes viral on social media. In most of these videos, the child is either playing mini golf or one of those at-home chipping games. These are the best activities to use for introducing a toddler to the game of golf. You want something easy, adaptable, and fun.
The goal for this age is introducing them to fundamentals of golf. For example, both of those activities introduce kids to holding the club, judging distance, building a swing, accounting for obstacles, and developing an understanding of cause and effect. While we don’t expect kids to understand these concepts or master the skills associated with these games, we want them to enjoy the activities enough to keep coming back. Over time, we can develop these skills and build a strong junior golfer.
Elementary Ages (5-11)
Most of the kids who participate in our programs start during elementary school, and this is where we start seeing kids progress developmentally. Since this is such a large age range, let’s break it down into sections.
Ages 4-6
This is the youngest age group we offer at KC Junior Golf, and it is all about having fun.
The goal at this age is to get them on the practice, the driving range, or the course and make it fun. We want them to start hitting golf balls, analyzing the situation, and testing their skills through different games. While we do introduce the correct way to hold the club and different strategies for building a strong swing, we aren’t focused on that. We just want kids to start hitting the ball and having fun with their friends.
Of course, having fun at this age group doesn’t always mean golfing. Sometimes it means raking the bunker twice, stopping to watch the birds, and collecting flowers during a drink break. While these moments don’t feel productive to us, it’s important to remember that these could be the moments that make kids want to come back to the course, and that’s all that matters.
Ages 7-11
This is the most popular age group at KC Junior Golf, and it is all about transitioning from introductory games to skill building.
Kids in this age group are able to quickly master the fundamentals of putting, chipping, and the full swing through consistent activities, so the next step is preparing them for the course. During this stage, we emphasize course-related skills, such as reading the green, risk vs reward, course strategies, and mental strength. They already have the technical skills, so now it’s time to teach them how to apply them to the course, as well as how to stay calm when something goes wrong.
Ages 12+ (Middle and High School)
This age group is all about preparing for competitive golf.
At this point in their journey, kids are already thinking about playing in tournaments (high school or summer organizations), and they need a program that strengthens their foundation, builds their course management, and helps minimize the mistakes.
Perfect doesn’t exist in golf, but this is where we see the benefits of preparation. The kids who have strong seasons are the ones who know how to prepare for tournaments, how to analyze courses, and how to play to their strengths. They don’t have to win every week, but they are consistent.