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GENERAL SECTION HEADER
WHAT’S IMPORTANT IN
WHA T’S IMPOR T ANT IN
TEA CHING JUNIORS
TEACHING JUNIORS
By David Vaught, USGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional and Examiner
assing down the great game of golf to younger learning in groups. Keep the activities fast-moving
Pgenerations has many rewards and provides a and interesting. Splitting up into pairs for fun
unique gratification. The strength and duration of competition works great for this age. Your goal
the game also relies on it. We have an obligation should be to teach the fundamentals with short,
to teach our love of the game to the youth of the easy visual cues and phrases that are blended
world, and you never know when you may be into activities. Another way to think about this is
the fuel that ignites a junior golfer into having a to teach the kids things like alignment, grip, rules
chance for a better education through attaining a and etiquette, without them realizing that is what
college scholarship, or even a career in the game. they are learning. A common misstep is to teach
For teaching juniors, we have to look at the segmented lessons, as you would an adult.
unique requirements and guidelines that their age I would also urge an instructor to make two
and development dictate. Because of this, I have things a cornerstone of any program. The first is to
separated juniors into two age groups: utilize other sports into the program. For example,
1) Elementary school age: combine golf exercises like making a putt with
1) Elementary school age: The surest way
to turn a junior in this age group away from golf is kicking a soccer ball or tossing a ball to a target.
to get into technique. While fundamentals need The second would be to utilize the junior aids and
to be learned, the priority is fun. The kids must find golf-specific learning tools that can be found
enjoyment in the game. A few thoughts here to easily online. Some of these aids are extremely
accomplish this: popular and a big hit, not just with the kids but also
Teach in groups. Kids at this age are used to Continued on page 29
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SUMMER 2020 Golf Teaching Pro
