If it's true that college scholarships for golfers (especially girls) often go unclaimed, maybe you should encourage your child to try youth golf! It's a lot more fun than it might seem from all those lame Father's Day cards. It's a sport your child can enjoy long into adulthood, and a great parent-child activity.
The basics: Simply stated, the player uses a club to move a ball from a teeing ground to a hole, by means of a stroke or a series of strokes. Each stroke is counted in scoring, and the lower score wins. A variation is match play, in which each hole is considered a separate contest, and the player who wins the most holes is the overall winner. A round of golf can consist of 9 or 18 holes on a golf course. Holes may include obstacles such as sand traps or water hazards.
Age kids can start: Some preschoolers may show an interest and aptitude for golf, but generally, age 5 to 8 is a good time to begin lessons. If your child is curious about golf, visit a driving range. You won't need your own clubs or a reserved tee time, so your child can try golf in a low-pressure, low-cost environment (and for a shorter time period than you need to play a full round of golf). You can also look for a Family Course, which has extra tees several hundred yards closer to holes so that kids and other beginners can get a head start and build confidence.
Skills needed/used: Strength, hand-eye coordination, concentration.
Best for kids who are: Independent and focused.
Season/when played: Can be played year-round, depending on climate (i.e., lack of snow!). School golf teams typically play in the late summer and fall. The American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) holds most of its tournaments in the spring and summer.
Team or individual? Both; golfers can compete in tournaments individually or as members of a school or club team.
Levels: The International Junior Golf Tour (IJGT) hosts tournaments open to kids 10 to 19. The Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) offers a series of tournaments for kids ages 13 to 18. AJGA tournaments start at age 12. Many of these are performance-based entry tournaments, which means players are ranked and can qualify for events based on how they perform.
Many middle and high schools have golf teams, and colleges and universities may offer both recreational and competitive golf programs.
Appropriate for kids with special needs: The Special Olympics has a golf program for athletes with intellectual disabilities. The Adaptive Golf Foundation of America and the National Alliance for Accessible Golf provide adaptive equipment and instruction for players with physical limitations and challenges.
Fitness factor: Medium. While golf isn't a strenuous cardiovascular sport, walking an 18-hole course can mean covering a lot of ground on foot (that is, if players don't use a golf cart!). Golf requires upper-body strength to swing the club and to carry a heavy bag of clubs.
Equipment: Players need clubs and a bag to hold them, golf shoes, gloves, and balls.
Costs: Lessons can start at $20 to $30 for a young golfer, depending on the instructor's level of expertise, and range up beyond $100/hour. Kids who compete in youth golf will need equipment; other costs will include tournament fees, greens fees for practice time, and travel.
Time commitment required: A beginner lesson is usually one hour, once a week. More advanced players or team members will spend more time in coaching and practice. When playing a round, allow about two hours for nine holes and at least three to four hours for 18. Playing in a tournament may mean 36 holes over two to three days.
Potential for injury: Medium. Golf is not a contact sport, but its twisting motions can cause problems for the back, shoulders, and elbows. Improving flexibility and technique can help prevent injuries. Get a tip sheet on preventing golf injuries from the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM).
How to find a course, program, instructor, or tournament:
- USGA'S JuniorLinks
- American Junior Golf Association
- U.S. Kids Golf Foundation
- Amateur Athletic Union (events and tournaments)
- Your local parks and rec department (for municipal courses) or private course
Governing body: US Golf Association (USGA)
If your child likes golf, also try: Archery, bowling, tennis, track and field
