New Junior Golfers: Getting Started On The Right Path

Well, It’s official the golf season is in full swing (pun intended), school is out and golfers are out playing their favorite courses. Junior golfers are no exception as they are the future of golf and its growth. As golf professionals we strive to develop golfers that will hopefully be a lifetime player of the game. Studies have shown that a new golfer is more likely to remain a long term golfer if he/she is exposed to playing on a course in the early stages of development, juniors included. Practice and hitting balls at your local range is no doubt important for swing development but getting out on the course is vital to an overall introduction to the game.

I encourage my junior golfers to play, but along with playing comes having to know proper etiquette which is what I would like to discuss further in this article. I have played all over the country and have found that some courses are more “junior” friendly than others. This in part is due to the fact that many junior players hit the links without knowing proper etiquette which can leave a less than favorable image on others players and personnel of any given golf course in America. However, as parents, and teachers of the game it is our responsibility to make sure that our junior players know the rules before stepping on to the course. If you are the parent(s) of a junior player but you do not play yourself, then it is important that your child receive some form of rules etiquette training from one of your local golf professionals. This is something that can be covered (and should be covered) during a series of lessons. How else can our juniors become educated if we don’t teach them? Following proper etiquette will enhance your child’s enjoyment of the game, and they will be looked upon in a much more favorable light when on the course. Now, I will be the first to tell you, there are plenty of rules in golf, certainly too many to mention, however I would like to pass along a few tips that are sure to help your junior become a more educated and favorably looked upon golfer.

1. Always rake the bunkers.
2. Replace and/or sand your divots whenever possible.
3. Repair your ball mark on the green and look for another to fix as well.
4. Let faster players play through.
5. Never lay your golf bag on the green.
6. Try to refrain from throwing your clubs farther than the ball after you’ve hit a bad shot.
7. Try to refrain from shouting obscenities after hitting another bad shot.
8. Dress appropriately. 

Although these few things mentioned seem rather basic, you can visit any given golf course on any given day and witness these simple etiquette guidelines/rules being violated…… and it is not just the junior players. Just these few simple reminders will make a day on the links more enjoyable for everyone. As professionals and parents we need to set good examples for our juniors to follow!

Blog written by Vince-Director of Instruction at VJF Golf Academy