According to recent reports, golf as a sport is increasing in popularity across generations, and especially amongst younger players. As new generations discover a love for the sport, it’s important to recognize the potential barriers for entry, even for the youngest of young players. Golf can be fun and engaging at all ages, and you might have some children interested in trying out the sport for the first time. Here are some engaging and creative ways to hold their interest, and help them foster a real interest in the sport.
1Age-Appropriate Teaching Methods
Golf can be a relatively dry sport even at the best of times, and an hour’s in-depth discussion of swing stance is a fast-track method to running young players off the course and into another sport. Your teaching methods and style need to adapt in order to keep their attention. A great way to boost engagement while attempting to teach correct golfing technique is to incorporate the learning into games. You could take the kids to a mini-golf course in order to teach putting techniques in a more fun environment, which also makes them think carefully about the terrain before taking their putt. Alternatively, you could introduce an element of competition in teaching drives – you could give point rewards to the furthest drive, or signal a point in the range to aim for and reward the most accurate players.
2The Right Equipment
In order to make the correct techniques stick over time, making the investment in the right kind of golfing kit for the learners could make all the difference. Incorrectly-sized clubs for the height of the child using them can have all kinds of effects on their swing, and bad habits picked up to compensate can be hard to unlearn. The wrong footwear can also spell disaster on the green, especially where inclement weather is concerned. You don’t need to go all out on high-spec clubs and bags, but putting a little thought into equipment for the kids can improve their learning no end.
3Field Trips
Visiting the same driving ranges or golf courses each time can result in losing the interest of your budding golfers over time. You can keep them engaged by taking them on a bespoke golfing holiday, introducing them to a new course and providing them with a fun residential trip away all at once. Holidays are an exciting occasion anyway, and being able to marry one with the sport means you can both hold attention and introduce new aspects of the sport.
4Keeping Things Fun
Lastly, but perhaps most importantly by far, is to keep learning and lessons light and fun. At the end of the day golf is a game, and while it can be a serious sport – and even a profession – to many adults, not treating the game with levity while engaging children in learning about it is sure to turn them off from continuing to play. Holding their attention in the short term is one thing, but maintaining their interest in the long term is crucial. To that end, any attempts to teach the sport should be done with the understanding that fun is the primary motivator. With the right balance struck, you’re sure to find yourself playing a game with a talented and engaged cohort of young players.
