So your 9- year old has taken a liking to golf and wants to get better. Are you going to have to waste $100’s of dollars on lessons? Is this just a phase?
To help you out, I have put together my favorite 3 tips to help 9 – year olds get better at golf
Who Am I?
You might be thinking “What gives this guy the right to tell me how my kid should improve?”
Excellent question. Here is why I know a thing or two about training junior golfers:
- I helped manage one of the largest youth golf programs in the country
- Each summer, I give over 200 lessons towards junior golfers and watch them develop
- I am a high school golf coach and know what golfing skills are required to reach the next level
Enough of me trying to convince you that I know what I’m talking about. On to my tips!
1. Join A Golf Camp or League
In my experience giving hundreds of junior golf lessons, I have found that kids learn and become more passionate about golf when they play/learn with others.
Most of the one-on-one lessons that I do with juniors around 9- years old, either become bored or don’t follow up on the exercises needed to improve. (Just from my experience). Not to say that golf lessons are a bad idea by any means. I have just found that juniors in golf camps or leagues generally have more fun and are more likely to return the following year.
What is a Golf Camp
- Juniors meet up once a week in a class with 10-15 other kids
- The golf instructors teach the kids a different skill each week. (Rules of the Game Driving, chipping, putting, sand shots, etc)
- The camps usually last several hours each week and for around 3-5 weeks
What is a Junior League
A junior league is similar to a camp except the kids pair up into groups of 2 or 4 and actually play 9-holes of golf.
In my opinion, it is best for a 9-year old who is new to the game to start with a junior golf camp and then transition into a junior league once they get the basics.
I say this only because I have seen many young kids get too discouraged if they start playing rounds of golf before learning the basics.
- To find a junior golf league or golf camp, just type this into google ” junior golf leagues near me” and look through a few course websites to compare prices and dates that work best for you
2. Go Golfing As A Family
You would be surprised how big of an impact playing golf as a family has on a young golfer. At my golf course, we are lucky enough to have a pretty successful parent/junior golf league and the kids absolutely loved it.
There is a cool bond that is formed between kids and their parents when they are out on the golf course. And that is the most important part about wanting your junior to improve. They have to like going out on the course!
- Saturday and Sunday evenings after 5:00 pm are usually the best times to bring the family out on the golf course as it generally isn’t too busy at most public golf courses
3. Use the Right Golf Set
Last but not least, your 9- year old needs a golf set. I know, I know, you probably don’t want to spend $500 on golf clubs.
But what if I told you that there was a really cool golf set that gives juniors everything they need. Bag clubs and everything for around $100? I hope that sounds better!
Once a junior gets their first set of golf clubs, something clicks in their head that allows them to take the game a little bit more seriously. The develop ownership of the clubs and start to learn which club to use and when. (Which is one of the most important components of the game)
Where Can You Get A Junior Golf Set?
- You can always go to a Dicks Sporting Goods or local sports store to take a look at their available junior sets
- You can also check out this golf set here that I recommend for parents getting their kids their first golf set. All you have to do is pick their age and the clubs come at different sizes. It’s also unisex which makes things easier
Thanks for reading and feel free to comment below about any tips or strategies you have used for your kids to help them improve their game!
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