PGA Junior Golf Camps Create Fun and Build Confidence

Summer golf camps can be long and tedious for children that aren’t mentally prepared to process the game of golf like adults do. It’s important that PGA junior golf camps instill a sense of confidence and bring a relaxed atmosphere to the game to keep kids interested.

When you are looking to send kids to PGA junior golf camps, the No. 1 rule for a great experience is to have fun, according to Golf Club Director of Golf Ryan Gray. This involves keeping the kids active and doing other events than the golf swing. 

There is more to just fun having fun though to summer golf camps. Involvement in the golf swing and golf etiquette is crucial to a child’s success too. Read on to learn more about the recipe of summer golf camp for kids. 

When Should Kids Start Golf Lessons?

It is never too late to start golf lessons for your children. We recommend starting golf lessons for kids around the time they start school. Somewhere between the ages of 5 and 6-years-old is a good time to start golf lessons.

Can a 3 Year Old Play Golf?

You can start your child playing golf earlier than 5 if you like. They make clubs for children from 18 months to 3 years old. The Professional Golfer’s Association (PGA) stresses, though, that children should learn and understand golf etiquette before heading out to the golf course. 

How do we know kids 3 years old and even younger can master the game of golf? Read on to find out more. 

When Did Tiger Woods Start Playing Golf?

Tiger Woods started golfing lessons with his father, Earl, when he was just 2-years-old. Need we say more? As long as a child expresses interest in the game of golf and enjoys it, the sky's the limit for the game of golf as Tiger Woods has shown for decades, with a trophy case to make his point. 

How Do You Teach a Child to Hit a Golf Ball?

Teaching a child golf involves creating a playful environment. It will be more difficult to teach a child a swing the earlier you have them start playing golf. Here’s some tips to help with a swing: 

• Do not teach the child any technical terms
• Start with short swings that only go one-quarter of the way back
• Pick irons and clubs that are easier to hit
• Let the child swing for fun without a ball at first to get comfortable
• Add a ball to the mix when the child is comfortable with a full swing
• Just have fun! It’s way too early to be critical!

How Do I Start My Child in Golf?

Gray emphasizes over and over that it’s important for a child to have fun on the golf course more than anything else! The last thing a child needs is a bad experience on a golf course. It can deter them from coming back again. 

When Can You Take a Kid Golfing?

All the time! Take kids out to the golf course with you and let them watch, have fun on a golf course and get used to the holes to start. Watch golf with them together too so you can introduce them to the players and they can get invested in the game as they grow. 

Minimum Age for Golf Courses

When you take the kiddos out on the golf course with you, it’s a good idea to check with the golf course rules and regulations before you head out. There might be requirements for age playing. If there is, the kids can drive your golf cart or be your caddy. 

At the very least, most golf courses always offer PGA Junior Golf Camps the kids can take advantage of in the summer months. 

Golf Tips for Junior Golfers

There are some great golf tips for juniper golfers that can help those master the game at an early age. Here’s some tips for both junior golfers and their parents to help them get started:

Making a Putt Count

• Make sure your eyes line up over the ball
• Plant your feet firmly 
• Bend your knees slightly
• Keep your wrists firm
• Take a short stroke backward and a long follow through after contact
• Keep your head low
• How hard you hit the ball and the length of the hit determines the ball’s distance

Hitting a Beautiful Drive

• Take a slow backswing
• Keep your left arm extended
• Shift all the weight to your right side and take the club back 
• Shift that weight back to the left side on the downswing 
• Make your arms follow through
• Turn that left him to make a balanced finish

Making a Pre-Shot Routine

• The best thing you can do when you are playing golf is to slow everything down. 
• Take your time over the ball and think about your shot. 
• Create a plan that involves looking where you want to hit the ball
• Walk up to the ball calmly and cooly
• Wait for silence
• Set the golf club down behind your ball
• Adjust your grip
• Adjust your feet and body to prepare for your swing. More on that next. 

Setting Up the Pre-Swing

• Hold the grip of the club while applying a firm hand. 
• Use your fingertips to feel the club
• Your rear palm should overlap the front thumb
• Use an interlocking 10 finger grip 
• The club face should be square and in the center of your legs. 
• Always have your hands ahead of your golf club in your pre-swing

Junior Golf Camps 2021

Golf Pro Ryan Gray reiterates, though, that fun is the ultimate goal at camp. Summer golf camps consist of: 

• Kids ages 5 to 15
• Children split into groups to keep their skill levels together
• Camp hours in the cooler hours of the day from 9 a.m. to noon

Golf summer camp curriculum includes:

• What the grounds crew does
• Clubhouse activities that include beverages
• A tour of all facilities
• Golf etiquette
• Learning golf swings and other tips
• Having fun that includes playing games and running through the golf course sprinklers!

PGA Junior Golf Tournaments that Work for You

Kids of all ages can learn the game of golf and have fun at PGA junior golf camps! Golf courses in Florida is the perfect place for kids to have fun while learning the game of golf at the same time!

Contact us today to plan your child’s next junior golf camp experience today!