Hacienda's Golf Blog

As parents, it's important that we nurture our children and motivate them to become the best they can be, but how much direction is too much direction? Are you struggling to keep your young golfer focused? Are there days when your child just doesn't want to put the work in?

Golf is hard.  But, it’s easier to learn to play well at a young age versus attempting the same later in life. Although there are different opinions among experts about the ideal time to introduce a young child to the game, there are many advantages to starting a child early in golf.  So what is the ideal age to start your child in the game of golf? Can you start your child too early?

The simple answer is that there is no "absolute" best age for your child to begin learning and playing golf. While it is best to wait until a child reaches a certain level of maturity before introducing specific learning tasks, children of almost any age can be exposed to the game in some way and start having fun right away. When kids have fun around golf they will develop the desire to learn more and become better at it.  

Some of the advantages to starting your child in the game of golf at a young age aren't just limited to golf.

In the United States alone, there are more than 3 million junior golfers, many of whom participate in a junior golf program. In order to grow the game and sustain membership over the long haul, many golf clubs focus on  accommodating young golfers, but not all junior golf programs are alike.

Some provide camps and small leagues or tournaments. Others play host to large tournaments and make junior golf a priority with focused instruction and regular competition. When it comes to the experience for your child, it is important for you to take your child's specific wants and needs into account.  If you're thinking about signing up your child for a junior golf program, you should take a few things into consideration before you decide which program to join.

As you read through these fundamental characteristics of a successful junior golf program, keep in mind that many of these same ideals are important in your child's everyday life as well. Having an understanding of the game of golf and what it represents will improve not only your child's game, but also other things in their life, for example, relationships and decision making.

Earning a golf scholarship is about more than just shooting low scores.

It’s an easy mistake to make, to assume that universities are looking solely for proficiency in the game, and that shaving off strokes will boost one’s chances of landing a coveted financial lift on the way to making tuition.

Play is important, of course, but it’s not the only factor in determining who gets a scholarship.

Golf can be a frustrating game, and when it comes to our children, we want to be very careful. Learning the game takes a lot of time and effort, and the last thing you want to do is put your child in a position where he or she loses interest in the game. It's important to set them up for success, which in this game is easier said than done.

In order to nurture your child's love of the game, it's important to make the game fun for your child. Knowing how to use a golf course's practice facility, how a golf course sets up, which golf courses your child should play, and how to use that information to your child's advantage will make the experience much more pleasurable for your child and give them the foundation to become a lifelong beneficiary of the game.

So what is it about a golf course that leads to the a child’s growth, development and enjoyment of the game?