Junior
Development
William Healy BA, CSCS, PGFA
There has
never been more information on instruction and training in the history of golf.
A junior athlete now has multiple avenues to develop their performance. We will
take a look in this article at the process of developing junior golfers.
TECHNIQUE
Technique will always be the priority of the young
athlete. Juniors pick up the game much easier than adults, making it a priority
to get early instruction. While it is debatable as to what age is best for
formal instruction, I feel it is never too early to start. The younger the
golfer, the goal is less structure and short sessions. By the ages of 10-12, a
junior golfer should be getting formal instruction on a normal basis if the
goal is to become a competitive player. Most golfers can begin a conditioning
program at that stage as well. Strength programs allow juniors the chance to
raise the bar in the world of golf. You will start to see younger players
coming out very soon. Some juniors now attend full time academies designed to
fully develop their game, while others receive coaching year round at golf-fitness-products-home.html. I
think you will see golf mimic junior tennis development soon. Junior tennis has
a nice framework of regional clinics, training camps, and coaching to
supplement practice.
TOURNAMENTS
I feel the sooner a player starts to compete, the better. Unlike team sports,
which have established seasons and breaks, junior golf does not have
boundaries. While most local and state events take place throughout the summer,
many national events are contested during the school year. A gradual
progression from local, state, to national seems to work best. Also, exposure
to amateur or pro events will make the transition to these events easier when
the time comes. Exposure to competition will generally lead a player to become
more serious and practice harder. A periodization plan designed to maximize
performance should be in place once the junior becomes serious. A well planned
mix of competition, training, and rest leads to superior results. Remember the
goal is to develop the all around player that will allow the golfer to advance
to higher levels, not just win junior tournaments.
TRAINING
Within the last five or six years, golf fitness has become immensely popular.
Junior golfers now have the chance to grow up lifting weights and being
physically trained to become better golfers. While many kids used to quit
thinking about golf in the fall, it is now possible to scientifically train
your body specifically for golf all year. I am an advocate of playing multiple
sports as a youth. Other forms of competition give the mind a rest and prevent
overtraining. Workouts need to train movements, not individual muscles
glamorized by the muscle magazines. Strength is utilized throughout a complete
range of motion during the golf swing, not just from isolating muscles. While
training golfers, the goal is to never lose flexibility for strength. The golf
swing requires optimal flexibility in the shoulders, hips, lower back, and
hamstrings. As juniors, I like my students to learn a pre round stretching
routine that they will continue to utilize. Also, body awareness, balance, and
stability will continue to develop in the teenage years.
COACHING
This article would not be complete without referring to how important good
coaching is. While tour players frequently forget how many people help them
during their careers, finding a solid support system of coaching, training, and
tournaments will lead the junior to achieving his or her true potential. No one
expects a parent to maintain a full staff of golf professionals, strength
professionals, and mental gurus while a budding golfer is growing up. However,
by exposing the talented golfer to each of these fields, you will give the
junior the ability to compete with the best. An expert eye outside of the
family will always be able to spot things that are being overlooked. Look for
those with previous experience playing or coaching junior golf. The ability to
put all of the pieces of the puzzle together separates the great one from those
who never make it.
If you
look at the ultimate examples, Michelle Wie and Tiger Woods, their complete
development plan and goals were mapped out and precisely followed. It is no
accident that they have achieved great things in golf. As a parent or player,
seek out information and guidance from all of the disciplines. Everyone needs a
coach to speed up the development process.
Remember the competition gets better each year, making it very important to establish a plan and goals. Learning to play golf is a dynamic process, one that will prove to be very rewarding.
William Healy BA, CSCS, PGFA is recognized as one of the world's leading experts of golf fitness. He is the Director of Fitness at the International Junior Golf Academy, and currently trains over 150 golfers each day including PGA, LPGA,Nationwide players, and the US Junior Champion.
William is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a Professional Golf
Fitness Instructor of the Professional Golf Fitness Association, a Certified
Fitness Trainer through the International Sports Sciences Association, and a
Certified Golf Fitness Trainer with Advantage Golf. William graduated from
Marshall University with a Bachelor Degrees in Sports Management and Marketing.
He played collegiate golf for both Ohio and Marshall Universities.
For more information about William, go to www.golffitnessexpert.com
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The articles at GolfFitnessProducts.net are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for direct examination and exercise prescription by the appropriate health professional. It is strongly recommended that you do not perform any exercise program without the consent of your personal physician.
