Key 3
Create opportunities for success and develop confidence Golf being so difficult, many juniors find it very frustrating and often have a hard time staying motivated to continue. It is very important to have a structure in place for kids to easily succeed and grow one step at a time. I have found that a multi-leveled system is great for children. Such a system allows them plenty of opportunity to succeed and the freedom to progress, each at his/her own pace.
Once a child experiences success, confidence grows along with the enjoyment of playing. This newly gained confidence in oneself can then be applied to other aspects of a child's life.
Key 4
Reinforce both teamwork and individual creativity Golf is wonderful because virtually anyone can play. One does not have to be a great athlete to enjoy golf. In addition, it offers the opportunity to play with others in a team setting and to work on one's individual skills. It is important to let children experience both aspects of the game.
The individual nature of golf is great for kids as it makes them solve problems on their own. It also teaches them that there are many different ways to succeed. Indeed, one of the secrets to being good at golf is to play according to one's own personality. Once again, this is a lesson that a child can later apply to life as an adult.
Unfortunately, the individual nature of golf can be very difficult for many juniors. Spending time by oneself practicing the fundamentals is very taxing for anyone and even more difficult for children as they need the interaction with peers in order to forge an identity. Team formats in golf are a great way to teach kids to work together. The resurgence of events like the Ryder Cup, the addition of golf in the Olympics and the creation of new team competitions for juniors have helped enhance the social nature of the game and provides even more excitement for kids. In my classes, I make a point to organize many contests and I have found that the contests that involve teams are always the most popular with kids.
Key 5 coming next.......
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