Developing the Love of the Game

By Junior Golf Specialist Richard Sykes

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Like any sport, only a small number of players get really good at it. Golf takes practice, instruction and time. Training to win tournaments is quite different from learning to enjoy a round with your spouse, friends or business associates. Golf should always be fun. The more you love it, the more fun you’ll have and the more time you’ll find to work on your skills. This is particularly important when developing a Junior Golfer.

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Seven important steps

1. Something as simple as teeing the ball up is often overlooked. Think about it. Getting the ball airborne brings a smile to every golfer’s face, but for a young person, it’s magic. Did you see that one? How high did it go? Was that a good one? Try it with your children or grandchildren. Tee up their ball every time from tee box to green.
2. Let’s talk about the tee box. Making a junior play where adults play doesn’t make any sense. Having a tee box closer to the hole is more appealing and more fun. It’s creates a much more positive experience. If a junior can hit the green instead of hitting over a pond, perception changes immediately. This year Two Eagles has installed yellow forward tee boxes. We want to make the game more accessible for juniors and beginners. Bring your junior golfer out and see what the Yellows can do for their enjoyment!
3. And how about this? Try changing par on a hole to suit the ability of the player. Turning a par 3 into a par 4 and so on is not only more fun but also promotes success. Being able to shoot par for a junior golfer is a major achievement and something to celebrate.
4. One of the most important steps is to dictate is the time a young golfer spends with you on the course. In the beginning of the golfing experience it might be just 15 or 20 minutes. Then you can graduate to playing a hole or two and on from there.
5. As you work with your young golfer, be sure to emphacize balance, staying in posture and positioning of the hands.
6. And let’s not forget clubs. Kids clubs come in all sizes, just like they do. Talk to us about new or used.
7. Always remember that golf should be spelled f-u-n.

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Two Eagles Junior Golf League

Every Monday Night we host boys and girls. They play 9 holes and then head to the Academy where the main mission is fun. Some weeks we set up a mini putting course. In other weeks we smash watermelons and water balloons.

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Loving golf

We take pride in our programs for juniors as young as 5. We know that the more fun they have, the more they want to be here. You’ll see them taking lessons, in our camps and on the course. The future of golf looks like this.