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Parents 411
The Essentials
Parents 411
Today parents are more involved in their children’s sports programs than ever before. The only thing that is harder than being parents is being parents with a child who plays sports.
Don’t try and be a coach and parent, you have to know when to let the reins go and get them involved with a golf coach. I have seen many kids walk away from the game because Mom and Dad wanted it more than they did. A good golf coach can only help your child’s game, they can give them a support structure for life learning skills outside of the home.
Proper equipment checks are essential; kids go through growth spurts all the time and they need equipment that grows with them. If the clubs are too heavy or to light they can affect the development of their golf swings and cause a variety of swing faults.
Develop the athlete first, then the golfer. Get your children into multi-sports.
The gym or home program is essential as they grow, but their muscles don’t always grow at the same rate as their bones. This can cause their golf swings to become unstable and as a result they will miss shots and suffer from inconsistency. You need to get them physically screened and develop a personalized fitness program for them. I am always amazed at how inflexible some kids are.
Timing is everything for motor program development. A junior who starts at age 12 versus 16 years old is completely different and behind the growth curve to excel.
For kids in high school that are considering going to college and would love to position themselves for a college golf team then you need to get some advice.
Play more than you practice, at a young age the biggest thing kids lack is experience. Take a note out of Australian Institute of Sports that turns some of the best junior golf programs in the world, kids should play golf more than they practice and learn how to score.
Remember it’s vital to keep learning. Ask yourself… Am I giving my child a solid philosophy for their life, is it more positive or negative? I have a few videos to watch under Life Philosophy.