Start Your Young Golfer on the Right Foot

It can be great fun introducing a child to golf, and the fun can last a lifetime. Getting off to the right start and making it fun is important. Providing the youngster with age and size appropriate equipment is a big help in that regard. Here are a few simple principles to guide your purchase of that first set.

The child's height dictates the shaft length. There are a range of age-appropriate sets on the market, from kids' golf clubs, to junior sets, to teen golf sets up to adult. Since all kids grow at different rates, let the child's height rather than age dictate the club length. Thankfully, that's how most manufacturers market their junior sets. Online vendors, such as Linksman Golf, have size charts to match the child's height with the right starter set.
It's OK for a child to choke up an inch or so, enabling you to get more than one year's use of the clubs. Choking up two inches or more will lead to flawed swing mechanics. The game is tough enough.

A common approach in the past was to take an old set, cut the shafts down to size, and turn the kid loose. But a cut shaft is too stiff for a youngster. The grip will be too big and the club head will be too heavy. The result will be a flawed swing, low shots and a youngster learning the game with more frustration than we want. The game is tough enough.
All the game-improvement technologies that work for adults work for young people starting out even more so. Think big, oversize, offset heads. Graphite shafts are a must. Hybrids are easier to hit than long irons. The lighter the club, the easier to swing and the easier it is to learn. Shafts should have lots of flex. Grips should be thin. If the club feels like a baseball bat, the child will struggle. The game is tough enough.

Buying a major brand endorsed by the pros for a beginning child is frankly a waste of money. The quality of the clubs from the budget manufactures is quite good. There are some fine sets available that provide a full complement of clubs, light weight bag and a few balls and tees -- everything to get your child started -- and it shouldn't set you back much more than the price of a round of golf or two.

If your youngster has been playing for a few years and advancing smartly in skill, there are more sophisticated junior golf clubs available to match his or her abilities with more precise lengths, heavier weights and higher performance.
Let's not forget that the most important part of the game is the social aspect, having fun with friends. Many courses offer youth golf clinics where kids can learn the game while making new friends. Call the courses in your area. The staff will me more than happy to steer you in the right direction.

(c) 2009 Linksman Golf, LLC
About the Author
Mike Blair plays and writes about golf. Find out more about junior golf club sets at Linksman Golf