If you love the game of golf, most likely, you’ll want to pass your love of the game on to your kids. So if you are planning on taking your kids out to teach them how to play, there are a few things to remember.

First of all, how you teach them will depend on their age. For smaller kids, it’s important to let them just get a feel for their club and have fun. Although you probably want them to learn the correct way, when kids are young, they won’t care about that, and getting forceful with them will most likely turn them off to playing because it’s not fun. It’s best to make sure that playing is fun and as they become ready, teach them about the game little by little.

 

For older kids, you want to teach them correctly but remember to focus on one or two skills at a time because if they become overwhelmed and frustrated they will lose interest and that would be a real shame.

 

Here are five tips on how to teach kids how to play golf.

 

• Make it fun. If kids are having fun, they will want to learn more and more. Incorporating games that teach a skill is a great way to teach them, and the best part is that they are enjoying it so much they don’t realize they are learning.

 

• Start with putting. Putting is such a vital part of scoring and also a pretty simple stroke. Kids of every age can usually find success and that keeps them excited and motivated to continue.

 

• Putt from various distances. Like playing horse in basketball teaches us to shoot from around the court, putting from different distances teaches them to have precision. You can make a game out of it and have them putt from 1 foot out, then 3 feet out and then maybe 6 feet out etc.

 

• Add additional strokes and teach lessons on form. As they start to master one stroke, incorporate other strokes from easy to more difficult over time. As they become more comfortable, they will gain confidence and want to do better. Start to focus on how to hold clubs, the correct form for taking shots and the rules of the game.

 

• Take time for teachable moments. It’s important to learn to do things correctly. Learning about the rules, keeping score and learning about golf etiquette are vital. It won’t help them if you tell them they doing great when they’re not. It’s important to be honest about how they can improve.

 

As a parent, it can be difficult to teach your own kids to play. They will sense it when you become frustrated or angry and will not want to continue. If you want your kids to enjoy golf as much as you do, getting them in golf lessons for their age group is a great introduction. They will learn from professionals who have experience teaching kids and your kids will learn how to play while meeting other kids who love the game. It’s a win-win for everyone.