The Benefits of Junior Golf for Children and Teens
Article by Pat Boardman
Golf is an elite activity out of the reach of many but for those families who can afford it and who are able to interest their children in taking the sport, it can instill confidence as they grow and improve. Learning early will avoid embarrassment later in life if they try to learn as an adult; the sight of their awkward and disjointed swings will invite a lot of ridicule among the more skilled.
Dedication to a sport is difficult to measure when laying money for equipment so parents tend to think twice about golf club quality. Almost all of experienced parents have had a child get bored with a musical instrument or other interest and golf can be a frustrating experience that many players quit. It takes a lot of time to drive the kids out to the golf course, wait for your tee-off time, slog through the rough looking for lost balls while being pressured from behind from the next foursome hoping their drives don’t hit you in the head through eighteen stressful holes of three-putting in the burning sun.
If golf is easily available to the young son or daughter and they show interest and a bit of skill it may well be worthwhile investing in some golf accessories like spiked shoes and high-quality clubs to encourage them to stick with it. There are ideal lengths of clubs based on the height of each youngster; manufacturers use a chart to determine the lengths of the woods, five-irons, and nine irons and match the other clubs accordingly. A golfer who is four foot ten would use woods that are thirty-seven to thirty-eight inches long, a five iron thirty-two and a half inches to thirty-three and a half inches long and so on. As the youngster grows every two inches new golf clubs would be a good idea if funding is no issue. If there is large social circle and family involved in golf then trading or buying and selling used clubs may be possible but as all golfers know, a bag of golf clubs isn’t the biggest expense when taking up the sport. Thousands of dollars are spent on golf course membership fees, travel expenses, food and beverages, and pro shop items when living the lifestyle of a regular golfer.
Very few golfers will go on to play professionally but golf is also a social and business event that can allow making connections with people who can matter in your life. Golf has a lot to do with style and dignity at the country club now that it’s not the all-male activity that it was in the past. Many husbands went to the golf course to get away from the family and drink with his buddies after playing a few rounds. The beauty of the country setting can be just as intoxicating; golf has a fitting reputation as being addictive.
When golfers reach a reasonably skillful level where they can break one-hundred and make a few memorable shots then it all seems worthwhile, although golf is not technically considered good exercise. The motions of golf shots are based on skill and aren’t physically taxing and walking with a bag is more like being a mailman than an athlete. Aerobics aren’t part of golf and the irritation of bad shots puts many in a miserable snit where club-breaking is the first urge. There always seem to be slow players ahead of you and fast players creeping up from behind occasionally yelling “fore!” just to add some danger and excitement to the afternoon.
When watching televised golf tournaments and reading about the fast-lane lifestyle of millionaire golf champions, it’S understandable that we envy those who have mastered the game of millimeters and achieved lasting fame. How they got that good is a mystery to those of us who never seem to get a better score and continually lose twenty-five dollars worth of golf balls each time we play and take liberties with the scorecard to maintain a modicum of dignity at the nineteenth hole. As long as the swing looks good you can proove that you learned as a child.
About the Author
SEO consultant Pat Boardman presents this information in respect to Tiger Cub Junior Golf Clubs, manufacturers of golf equipment and suppliers of golf club sets for young players.