8 Winning Reasons To
Get Your Child Involved in Golf.

 Golf, isn’t just
for the retirees in plaid pants anymore. 

It’s cool.  Don’t
believe it?  Just ask Michael Jordan or NBA superstar Jason Kidd, Lance
Armstrong, Charles Barkley, Tiki Barber, Jerome Bettis, Brandi Chastain,
Bode Miller, the list goes on and on.  Not to mention,  Tiger Woods is
the epitome of cool. 

Besides being ultra
cool, golf is a fantastic sport that teaches your child valuable life
lessons and skills necessary for successful adulthood.

 


  1. Golf teaches
    focus.
     
    As your child runs around the house with a complete lack of focus
    imagine them analyzing the course, their ball, and the best way to hit
    the ball into the hole.  Imagine their focus!  It’s a necessary skill
    for golf and for life.  Even better, imagine being able to send them
    out to practice!

 


  1. Golf teaches your
    child goal setting skills.
     
    Because it is a sport requires practice to improve, children lean that
    hard work and practice are necessary to improve.  Additionally, golf
    is quantifiable.  You improve by lessening your score or the number of
    shots it takes to get the ball into the hole.  The farther and more
    direct your shot, the better your score will be.  Children can
    practice improving their driving distance and their accuracy to lower
    their overall score. 

 


  1. Golf is excellent
    fitness.
     
    A round of golf, depending on the size of the course, can mean
    anywhere between a 4 and 8 mile hike and if you’re lugging your clubs
    around the course then there is strength training involved.  In fact,
    strength training is a part of many youth programs.  While it isn’t a
    robust, and aggressive sport it suits the personalities of many
    children. 

 


  1. Golf teaches
    social skills and moral lessons.
     
    Golf gets your child involved in a sport, a social sport, whereby he
    or she is part of a team.  Additionally, golf has rules or etiquette
    and teaches your children some moral rights and wrongs.  For example,
    it’s occasionally very easy to fudge the numbers on a score card or to
    move the ball when no one is looking but even if your child does
    participate in this kind of behavior, they’ll soon learn that it
    doesn’t pay.  That they’re only cheating themselves. 

 


  1. Golf offers your
    child a mental challenge.
     
    It isn’t only a game of skill it is a game of strategy that encourages
    forethought and planning. 

 


  1. Golfing offers
    your child the chance to compete.
     
    Competition is a healthy and vital skill in the development of
    children into successful adults. 

 


  1. Golfing offers
    opportunities.
     
    If your child is good and enjoys golf, his or her success could lead
    to college scholarships, new friends, a potential career, and a
    lifetime of joy with a sport that they love. 

 


  1. Golf provides
    fresh air and sunshine.
     
    Golf gives your child the opportunity to be outside in the fresh air
    and to enjoy nature. 

 Physical fitness
and sports are a vital part of the development of any child.  There are
so many opportunities for growth and development, for self awareness and
a developed awareness of others, of what it means to be part of a team.
Being part of a golf organization, or any team provides endless value to
your child.
 


Here are a few tips
to get your child started playing the wonderful sport of golf:
 

·        
When
seeking an organization to get your child started learning the game or
furthering their game, it is important to find a club whose focus is on
having fun.

 

·        
Buy
second hand clubs to begin.  Children grow quickly and if you plan on
buying new golf clubs every time they need them, you’ll be spending a
fortune.  Most pro shops and driving ranges offer second hand clubs. 
Additionally, if your child is joining a team, they may have inside
information on second hand clubs.

 

·        
Take a
few lessons before you let them loose on the course.  Golf is a
challenging sport and the first time on a course can be extremely
frustrating if there has been no previous instruction.  You can likely
find a certified golf professional at your local golf club or even in
the phone book.

 

·        
Once
your child has a few lessons under his or her belt, take them to your
local  Par 3 course.  Try to play during non-peak hours so that your
child does not have to deal with the stresses of a busy course.

 

To find an
organization or club in your area there are many helpful youth golf
links online that can point you in the right direction.  Also check out
your child’s school where a golf club or team may have already been
organized.  Support your child to learn the sport of golf, and they may
thank you for the rest of their lives.
                                                                                    
 
Junior Golf Equipment

About the Author:
Denise Nero invites you to visit

http://www.fitnessandkids.com
for more great fitness
articles, sign up for a free newsletter and receive a free
recipe e-book.

 


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