This article is directed at parents that have a child interested in starting golf and club golfers, although there is a small section for the interested junior as well.
For the juniors:
There will be times when you feel left out, ostracized from or by the rest of the golf club, but this should not be something to worry about. Instead I want you to be proud of who you are and what you have already achieved through the lessons that you have taken and the first steps you have made to become a junior golfer.
Go and introduce yourself to the clubs´ committee and ask for a list of club and golf rules so that you can be sure to conduct yourself in the correct manner. Once you have gained enough experience playing the course, then introduce yourself to adult members, make yourself available for club competitions. You want to become part of the club, this will be a great environment in which to reach your goals and enjoy your journey in golf.
For the parents:
When you begin to start the search for a professional to take your child under their wing and guide them through what can be a daunting environment of golf consider the following:
The ultimate decision of professional should lie with the child, you are there to guide them rather than dictate to them who should be teaching them. The same goes for when the time comes to find a golf club to join.
If you are a golfer yourself, try to encourage good behavior and etiquette, instill the traditions and honesty of the sport within your child.
Remember that golf clubs can contain some senior golfers that are averse to seeing juniors walking the fairways, especially during the weekends when they feel the course should be “theirs” to enjoy.
For the club golfer:
I beg you to consider the junior golfer not as a hindrance on the course and in the clubhouse, but the future of both the game and your beloved golf clubs. If we do not encourage junior golfers, which I am sure some of you were at some point, then the game will die and golf course numbers will dwindle, resulting in the closure of many and the downfall in participants.
I urge all golf clubs to encourage juniors to join and make sure that they are made to feel a part of the club, rather than being shoved into the closet. Juniors are the life blood and when a club can realize this, the club will benefit and one day may even help to school the next major champion.
Golf is a great game that should be able to be enjoyed by anyone wishing to play the game. If you are a member of a club and the number of juniors is low, consider why and make a new club charter, be a supporter of junior golf. The benefits far outweigh any negatives.
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