Summer is Where Young Golfers Are Made

The school holidays are a wonderful time for young golfers. There are fewer homework deadlines, longer evenings, and—most importantly—more opportunities to spend meaningful time outdoors. While many children see summer as a chance to relax, it can also be the period where a golfer makes their biggest leap forward.

One of the greatest misconceptions in junior golf is that improvement only happens during formal lessons. Nothing could be further from the truth.

As coaches, we certainly value structured instruction, but lessons are only one piece of the puzzle. Real progress comes from combining quality coaching with regular play, purposeful practice, and simply developing a love for the game. Summer provides the perfect environment for all four.

The beauty of golf is that every round teaches something new. One day it's learning how to recover from the trees. The next it's discovering how to manage emotions after a poor hole.

These aren't lessons that can be taught from a practice mat alone—they're earned through experience.

Just as importantly, children who play regularly begin to develop creativity. They'll try different shots, experiment with trajectories, and learn to solve problems for themselves.

Those are the qualities that separate golfers who merely hit good shots from those who become genuine players of the game.

Of course, staying active during the summer isn't solely about lowering scores.

Golf encourages children to spend hours walking outdoors rather than sitting indoors staring at screens. A typical round involves several miles of walking, plenty of fresh air, and gentle physical exercise, all while developing concentration, patience, and resilience. In today's world, those qualities are every bit as valuable as a reliable swing.

Parents often ask me how much their junior should practise over the holidays.

The answer isn't necessarily "more."

It's "more often."

An hour three or four times a week is usually far more beneficial than one marathon practice session every fortnight. A few holes after dinner. Thirty minutes on the putting green. A bucket of balls with a clear purpose. These consistent habits build confidence without making golf feel like a chore.

Summer is also a wonderful time to expose young golfers to different experiences. Visit a new golf course. Play a fun family scramble. Enter a local junior competition. Even watching good players and learning proper etiquette can have a lasting impact on a child's development.

Above all else, remember that junior golf should remain enjoyable.

The children who stay with the game into adulthood are rarely those who were pushed the hardest. They're the ones who built wonderful memories—playing with parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends on warm summer evenings.

The scores will come.

The technique will improve.

But a genuine love of golf—that's cultivated through positive experiences.

As coaches, our responsibility is to help young players improve. As parents, your greatest gift is helping them fall in love with the game.

This summer, encourage your junior golfer to play, explore, compete, laugh, and enjoy every opportunity they have to be on the course.

Years from now, they probably won't remember every lesson they took.

They'll remember the summers they spent playing golf.

-- Brian