GP Junior (Apr-May 18) Digital (Apr-May 18).indd | Page 34

Instruction
Junior golfers are very
sophisticated today with the
advent of advanced teaching
methods and great swing
coaches. We see so many
young golfers with incredibly
good swing mechanics
shooting low scores. Proper
equipment and great swing
mechanics go a long way to
help young players be their
best.
children. Parents who wish they could be
a professional athlete often work to create
that in their children. Parents who have high
expectations can often take the fun out of
sports and place too much pressure on their
children.
When a junior golfer has great talent and
great practice rounds, but is not performing
at his or her best in competition, it is usually
because of deeper emotional issues, not raw
talent.
MAIN ISSUES THAT CONCERN
JUNIOR GOLFERS
Emotional Control
One of the biggest causes of breakdown for
this age group is a massive meltdown due to
one bad shot. One slice, pull hook, shank or
duff can lead to an explosion of anger and
frustration that can last for the rest of the
round.
Overly high expectations can be a cause for
loss of emotional control. If you think you
should execute each shot perfectly, then it is
H
owever, great equipment and good
technique can only take you so
far. It still remains that the person
hitting the ball and making the shot is the
most important thing. The sport has evolved
and it is common knowledge that a player’s
mental, emotional, and spiritual attitude has
a lot do with winning and success. Personal
development does not happen overnight.
And the fact is, the better the foundation, the
easier it is to change, grow, develop, evolve,
and recover after breakdown.
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GolfPlus Junior April-May 2018
Golf is such a great game: It teaches
values, integrity, patience, accountability,
responsibility,
emotional
maturity,
discipline, focus, determination, balance,
respect, self-worth, service, acceptance, and
love of nature.
Parents:
Sometimes, a parent can be too emotionally
involved in the success of their Child. It
is all too easy for a parent to live out their
childhood dreams and wishes through their