Junior Golf: 3 Tips For Summer Golf Success

In this Friday Flop Shot we’ll look at 3 simple ways for your junior golfer to have a successful summer of golf.

Ok, school is out for just about everybody so let’s get after some fun summer golf planning!

1. Start with getting the whole family together to go over summer calendars. Prep for this by having dates of tournaments and golf camps on hand. If you’re planning a major vacation for the family, be sure to include the golf clubs.

2. Mom and Dad, review the summer budget. Then decide how much discretionary money can go towards golf. Know costs of tournaments, golf camps, clubs and lessons. Remember that summer is a time when major advances in skill levels can occur.

3. Be aware that your non-golfing kids need attention too. Balance your time and money as best it’s possible, among the youngsters.

There you go, quick and easy. If college golf is a goal, I encourage you to spend as much time and money as you can, in a prudent way, to immerse your kiddo in summer golf. Amazing things happen with immersion!

S3 took this photo of my shot on this par 3 at the beautiful Nicklaus Ocean Course at the Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, Florida. This was during his college graduation trip in 2016.

The summer between his junior and senior years of high school, S3 had 23 days of tournaments. Yes, this is a lot of golf but we had budgeted for it and he played some of the best golf of his life. It was fun!

See you on #1 tee with a better game… Sam

Junior Golf: How To Choose A Summer Golf Camp

In today’s Friday Flop Shot we will explore 3 things that are critical in making your choice for which summer golf camp is the most appropriate for your son/daughter.

Photocredit:Dubai Golf

Golf camp during the summer break is a tradition in most golf families and everybody should be excited about it. If your child is new to golf, this is a great way to introduce them to the game. If your kiddo is at the intermediate to advanced skill level, this is a perfect chance to review basics and increase fundamental skills. Summer golf camp is fun and worth the effort and funds involved!

Even if you have only 1 summer golf camp option in your area, these points may help you decide whether to sign your junior golfer or not. If you have multiple options, this input can be helpful for you to determine which camp to select.

Can you afford it? Weeklong camps will run from $150.00-$300.00. As simple as this question is, it is not worth causing stress in the family if it is just going to blow up the household budget by investing in summer golf camp. If you just can’t afford it this year, start sticking $20 bills in a sock to save up for next year.
Is the travel time and distance comfortable? If you have to fight horrific traffic or long distances, this effort quickly becomes a chore, because you’ll be doing it 5 days in a row. If this location is your only choice, you may want to consider staying on site and watching, if it’s a half-day camp.
How good is the lead instructor? This should be a PGA professional man or woman. Please remember that being a PGA pro is a great thing and requires considerable effort. Some teachers are better than others. That’s a fact. If your kiddo is at the beginner level, then the most important thing is that the instructor shows patience, speaks in pleasant tones (not yelling all the time) and talks less rather than more. All the PGA teaching pros know the basics, but some are better communicators than others.
Have the lead instructor’s previous students accomplished significant golf goals? Are they competitive in local events? Did they make the high school golf team? Did any of them get a college golf scholarship? If the answer is yes, good. If it’s no, be sure to find a new instructor as your kiddo gets to the intermediate skill level and beyond.

Photocredit:Mark Minion

So, here you go. A few quick points to help you select the best summer golf camp for your youngster. Get after it! Book a camp early in the summer so if time, budget and tournament schedule allows, you can consider booking a second session before school starts back up.

See you on #1 tee playing well after a week of golf camp… Sam

Junior Golf: 3 Benefits Of Summer Golf Camp

In this Wednesday Waggle we will examine why it’s a good thing for your daughter to attend a summer golf camp and how her golf game will improve as a result.

Photocredit:Golf Digest

Summer vacation is great, at least I always looked forward to it. But then there is the dilemma of how in the world are we parents going to keep our kids busy during all this free time? Summer athletic camps are the answer and golf camps are readily available all over the U.S.

Contact the golf venues in your area, the public courses, the private courses, the driving ranges and the golf training academies. Most, if not all, will be offering week-long summer camps. Hours will be from 8:00 or 8:30am until 12:00noon or until 5:00 or 5:30pm. Costs may be from $150.00 to $275.00 for the week, usually depending on which time option is offered, half-day or full-day.

We always booked S3 in the first week available, so if our budget allowed we could enter him in a 2nd or even 3rd camp. Also if your daughter did not click with the coaches at her 1st camp, you will have time to enter her in a 2nd camp at a different location. All this calendar work depends of course, on the tournaments that are booked over the summer break and the good ole budget.

Photocredit: Camarillo Springs Golf Club

Dad and Mom, here are 3 big reasons why summer golf camp is important:

• Your girl is immersed in golf, everything golf, for 20-40 hours during a 1-week time period.
• It is healthy outdoor exercise.
• She will learn to become comfortable around people she had not previously known. This is important to help with some of the tournament jitters.

Please get those calendars out, take a look at the family budget and book your daughter today in a summer golf camp. It has the opportunity to greatly advance her golf skills and she’ll love it!

See you on #1 tee ready to show me what you learned in golf camp… Sam