Golf can be an exciting sport for children to get involved with. In addition to developing many physical and emotional skills on the course, your child will have an opportunity to develop strong friendships that will last for years to come. However, any sport requires a great deal of dedication and practice in order for your child to reach his full potential. The following information will provide important tips regarding the best ways to get optimal golf training for your child.
How Many Hours Should Children Practice?
Children typically have short attention spans. In addition to this factor, their mood can be influenced by many outside forces. These factors can include such things as the temperature, hunger, thirst, physical pain, fatigue, or emotional stress. Therefore, the hours and time-frame that your child should spend practicing on a weekly basis may depend a great deal on his age and maturity level. For a younger child, it may be wise to begin with an hour or two once each week. As your child matures and gets accustomed to the game, you can increase the number of hours spent playing golf each week.
What Kinds of Training Exercises are Best for Children?
Golf is an interesting sport that requires various types of shots with different types of clubs. The following categories of training exercises will allow your child to develop well-rounded golf skills that cover all areas.
* Golf Chipping
In the sport of golf, chips are very short shots that are played around the greens with a variety of specific golf clubs. By having a specific point of reference in mind, your child can be allowed to practice his skill at chipping the ball. Since visualizing how the shot will turn out is an important part of successful chipping, your child may need a lot of practice sessions to hone this skill.
* Golf Putting
In the sport of golf, putting shots are shorter and slower shots aimed at getting the ball rolling in the direction of the hole from a short distance away. Being an accurate judge of distance is important in accurate putting, but other factors come into play that requires a great deal of practice. These additional factors can include the slope, wind factors, and other environmental aspects of the course.
* Golf Swings
The driving range is a great way for your child to practice a full golf swing before taking to the course to play an official game. Using the driving range for this purpose has the added benefit of not disrupting the games of other players on the course while your child is still in the learning phase of developing this vital skill.
* Golf Etiquette
Of course, no lesson on the sport of golf would be complete without a section on proper golf etiquette. Learning proper etiquette can involve everything from showing respect for other players to taking good care of the golf course. Even wearing the proper golf attire and paying careful attention to safety habits can fit into this important category.
How Often Should Children Practice with Different Clubs?
In order for your child to become successful at the game of golf, he needs to be playing with the right equipment. The main thing to remember when it comes to children and golf clubs is the child’s smaller stature. Of course, learning to use all types of golf clubs properly is an important aspect of the game. However, it’s imperative that your child doesn’t get unduly frustrated because he’s playing with clubs that are ill-suited for his stature.
Focus on finding golf clubs that suit your child’s height and size properly. Attempting to use a golf club that is too stiff or too long can cause your child’s skill to suffer and his frustration to build. It may also be wise to let him get the hang of one type of golf club before moving on to others.
What Time of Day Should Children Practice on the Course?
Children who are still learning the sport of golf will obviously be playing at a very different level than adults, even if those adults are also beginners. However, it’s important for children to spend time on a proper golf course in order to learn the game efficiently.
It’s in your child’s best interest to take him to the golf course during times when it’s naturally less busy. For most golf courses, this will be times during the late evening. It may be wise to ask your local golf course what their least busy times are to give you a better indication of ideal days and times for your child to play. Taking your child to play golf during quieter times will be less frustrating for both him and the other players on the course.
Important Safety Precautions for Children
Golf is likely one of the safest sports that children can get involved in. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t accompanied by a few risks that need to be carefully addressed with your child. Many injuries that occur on a golf course involve being inadvertently hit by a golf ball. It’s vital that your child learns to keep an eye out for other players and to take responsibility for his own safety on the course. Additionally, following proper guidelines while using golf carts is important, as is knowing what to do during dangerous weather situations.
Golf is a fun, exciting, and safe sport that can be enjoyed by the entire family. Golf can allow your children to develop incredible physical skills, manage their emotions and expectations successfully, and forge lasting bonds with other players. By following the training advice outlined here, your child can gain mastery over this sport while enjoying the time he spends on the golf course to the max.