This podcast and community is dedicated to junior golf helping golf parents, players and coaches through the fun yet complex journey you and your junior golfer will experience. We dive deep into the real stories golfers go through and as a community answering the long list of questions we all have! We learn from the most experienced golf parents, top coaches, players and child development experts on how to help groom your junior golfer to their best potential!
Episodes
Monday May 24, 2021
Monday May 24, 2021
What are you waiting for to get more young golfers into the game? Is golf too intimidation? Do you think golf requires more sophisticated coordination skills required from older children? Well all of these questions will be answered in this episode from Nicole Weller. We are going to talk all things preschool golf, and touch on how to implement sports psychology into classes of this level.
Nicole Weller is a proud member of both the PGA of America and LPGA. She has served on the LPGA*USGA Girls Golf of Savannah Board, two terms on the PGA National Youth Player Development Committee, the LPGA Education Committee, the PGA Special Awards Committee, is a co-author of the LPGA Girls Golf Playbook and has been a proud partner with both Little Linksters and The Littlest Golfer.
A U.S. Kids Master Kids Teacher certified with both U.S. Kids Golf and Spirit of Golf, Nicole was given the prestigious honor of being the first professional to receive both the 2013 PGA and LPGA National Junior Golf Leader awards in the same year. Some of her top accolades include 2017 & 2019 LPGA Top 50 Teachers List, GRAA Top 50 Growth of the Game Teacher, Georgia PGA Horton Smith Section Award, Golf Digest Best 50 Women Teachers, Golf Digest Best Young Teacher, Golf Digest Top Teacher in the State, LPGA T&CP Southeast Junior Golf Leader and Teacher of the Year, Georgia PGA East Chapter Teacher of the Year. Some of her most favorite recognitions are the handmade artwork of her young students!
Discussion:
- (4:20) When Nicole began coaching preschoolers
- (5:15) The learning curve of coaching preschoolers golf
- (9:19) Why starting so early is important for their development
- (12:53) Advice for adults about how to set good expectations
- (16:29) Why adults are timid to get preschoolers into golf
- (18:24) When to get juniors into tournaments
- (20:28) How sports psychology is applied to young golfers
- (24:28) How to explain the preschooler coaching philosophy
- (26:23) Nicole’s resources for junior golfers
- (29:08) Nicole’s new book release
- (31:38) Nicole’s final words of inspiration for raising golfers
Show Links:
Monday May 17, 2021
Monday May 17, 2021
Dear Parents,
You are all doing a fantastic job and before listening to this podcast, just give yourself a big pat on the back for everything you do for your children, you are awesome! In this episode I am going to summarize some of my thoughts, based on what I have seen and done recently in my coaching and parenting, along with talk about some key points I have taken away from some amazing books and coaching certifications that I believe will all help you!
I hope that we as parents can help continue to encourage children to enjoy playing golf for a lifetime, because it will be something that we can cherish together, forever.
Discussion:
- (2:56) Self Discovery and Self Awareness
- (6:57) The life goal as a golf parent
- (7:56) Golf Parent For The Future
- (10:04) Coaching Parents for the Future Generation of Junior Golfers
- (11:37) Your junior golfer’s swing
- (13:35) Mistakes and Failure
- (15:02) US Kids Coaching Certification
- (16:19) Positive Coaching Alliance
- (19:28) ROOTS
- (22:17) Final thoughts
Show Links:
Monday May 10, 2021
Monday May 10, 2021
If you are wondering how to work with and coach children, junior golf, US Kids Golf has created quite the reputation for doing that, successfully! Jim Hardy is the Academy Director for Longleaf Golf & Family Club in Southern Pines, NC. Jim, is a U.S. Kids Golf Certified Coach, PGA Professional and father of four.
Jim understands children better than anyone in the junior golf world and adheres to their slogan "Make it fun enough, long enough, so they can't get enough." Jim is going to share why fun and games are so important for the development of children, how to coach them better and how to be an all-star junior golf parent.
Discussion:
- (3:01) The US Kids Golf Mission and Moto
- (4:14) Why games are so important for the development of children in golf
- (6:40) How much information can a child digest in a class?
- (9:13) Why experiences are so important
- (13:36) The best environment for juniors
- (20:26) Can juniors start playing on the course from day one?
- (22:12) Can a junior golfer play too much on the course?
- (24:01) How to make your junior more independent
- (33:29) Where to find more about Jim
- (34:32) Final words of inspiration for raising golfers
Show Links:
Monday May 03, 2021
Monday May 03, 2021
In a world of technology and social media, the golf world has been influenced by golf swing technique and the chase for speed! However something that should not be over looked is the ability to utilize your own human skills to bring your best possibility to life, on the course. This episode is going to be all about that with two well renowned golf coaches, Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson.
Lynn Marriott & Pia Nilsson are co-founders of VISION54, a breakthrough program and golf school based at Talking Stick Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. Lynn and Pia are internationally recognized, are the two highest ranked female instructors in America, and are both regularly featured among Golf Digest's Top 50 Greatest Teachers. VISION54's Golf Schools, 54GOLF, have been awarded the "Best Golf School in America" multiple times. VISION54's Coach Programs, 54COACH, have repeatedly received the highest marks by peers of training for teachers / coaches. Lynn and Pia have coached players to well over one hundred tour victories on the LPGA Tour, PGA Tour, European Tour, Ladies European Tour, and Japan Tour. They've coached ten different major winners and four #1 ranked players in the world. They are the authors of four best-selling books, including their newest release Be A Player.
Discussion:
- (3:57) How Pia and Lynn began teaching this niche in golf
- (7:39) Adapting the mindset away from only technical based learning
- (11:07) The amazing feedback they get after their golf schools are finished
- (14:09) An ideal two hour practice session
- (17:26) How to evaluate your practice session after you are done
- (23:28) How to connect range practice to course play
- (25:18) What skill you should practice before walking to the first tee
- (35:18) Where to find more resources from Vision54
- (36:01) Final Words of inspiration
Show Links:
Monday Apr 26, 2021
Monday Apr 26, 2021
We all love the game of golf, and as adults we need to do our part to try and grow the game of golf with as many people as possible. If we want more courses, more hype on television, more fun and quality time spent with our family, then we have to continue to reach out to everyone, and get them into the game. This week Rich O'Brien golf coach from PGA Hope Charleston, shares his journey through the game, and how he continues to grow the game, day in and day out.
Look at Rich now, after making a near complete recovery from his injuries and once again achieving a scratch handicap, no one would ever guess that he endured 12,000 hours of rehabilitation on his long road to recovery. That journey began on September 25th, 2008 when he was ejected from a golf cart and suffered catastrophic injuries including four spinal fractures (C1 & 2, L4 & 5), four skull fractures, brain damage in every lobe of his brain that was the equivalent of multiple strokes and aneurysms (subdural, subarachnoid, epidural hematomas).
Rich as overcome adversity in so many ways and now helps people use golf as therapy to help with their recovery while continuing to grow the game.
Discussion:
(3:01) The state of the game
(4:49) How to get children introduced to golf
(6:49) Advice for getting children with disabilities into golf
(10:19) How Rich got into this niche of golf coaching
(16:48) How to use golf as therapy
(21:31) How involved parents should be with their children’s golf
(26:46) How to find out more about Rich and what he is doing
Show Links:
- Grow the Game Initiative Facebook Page
- PGA Hope
- Vision54
Monday Apr 19, 2021
Monday Apr 19, 2021
Those who perceiver not just in golf, but life are mental strong. Learning how to control your thoughts, emotions, and actions both on and off the course can create your character, who you are, and where you will go. Josh Nichols, Mental Golf Coach, shares how learning the mental side of golf can help us not only improve, but enjoy the game for a lifetime.
Josh played competitive golf most his junior golf career and even played college golf. He learned along the way that not only swing changes and hard work would get him to where he needed to be, but also adapting a solid mental game. What he experienced and learned over years of being a good student to his coach and a competitive player, helped groom him into the golf coach he is today. He shares a lot of knowledge, and experience for players, parents and coaches to take away from this episode.
Discussion:
- (3:29) How Josh got into mental golf coaching
- (7:15) Who mental golf coaching is for
- (17:56) Big differences between players “who make it” and don’t
- (20:48) Questions to ask a player up front
- (29:11) How to find out more about Josh Nichols and Mental Golf Coaching
- (30:27) Final words of inspiration for raising golfers
Show Links:
Monday Apr 12, 2021
Monday Apr 12, 2021
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to play on the LPGA Tour? Alana Uriell LPGA Tour player shares her story growing up in golf. She highlights the community she grew up in, in Carlsbad California helped get her to where she is today. Alana is the first LPGA Tour player that has come on the podcast, and her story is amazing, be sure to tune in!
Discussion:
- (3:04) When did you start playing golf?
- (5:29) Her parents involvement in her golf game
- (8:23) When did you want to become an LPGA player?
- (14:41) Did your coach push you or you push your coach?
- (17:12) Alana’s college golf recruitment process
- (24:06) How Alana got her LPGA Tour card
- (29:48) What are your goals for the LPGA Tour?
- (33:20) Where to follow Alana
- (34:26) Final words of inspiration for raising golfers
Show Links:
Monday Apr 05, 2021
Monday Apr 05, 2021
Are you tired of buying new golf clubs every year for your junior golfer? Epec golf clubs just might be your solution. Richard Stamper, Founder and President of Epec golf shares how this great company has come together. Rich shares how important properly fit golf clubs are for juniors and why Epec has created the ideal upgradable golf clubs for all juniors.
Discussion Timeline:
- (2:55) Rich’s golf industry background
- (4:54) Raising his two boys in golf
- (15:52) Customer feedback on Epec
- (18:15) Turn around time on clubs being adjusted and sent back to the juniors
- (22:22) Which areas do Epec clubs out perform other brands?
- (30:33) Final words of inspiration
Show Links:
Monday Mar 29, 2021
Monday Mar 29, 2021
Do you ever wonder what your junior golfer should be learning, playing or doing depending on their age and stage in the game of golf? Neil Plimmer golf coach, podcast host and blogger has come up with a framework to help us all better understand this. In this episode Neil is going to describe the environments children can be in at different ages and stages and why those experiences are so important to their development in golf.
Discussion Timeline:
- (6:34) JOLFer Golfer and player breakdown
- (13:25) On-course play golf
- (17:06) Off course task based play
- (18:34) Games based play
- (25:30) General ages for stages of golf
- (32:41) Experiences first
Show Links:
Monday Mar 22, 2021
Monday Mar 22, 2021
There is more than one way to teach anything, and golf is no exception. In this episode Jonathan Ochoa golf coach in Spain and host of his own golf podcast, Charla Golf discusses his unique methodology on coaching golf. Jonathan makes the experiences of learning golf so enjoyable for everyone and as they progress in the game, they also come away with some many other life skills. Whether you are a golf coach looking for new ideas or a parent wanting to be more positively involved in your junior golfers development, this episode is a great listen for you!
Discussion Timeline:
- About Jonathon (3:36)
- Training Juniors beyond the range (8:48)
- Educating Children on the growth mindset (13:07)
- Misconceptions about physical training for juniors (17:06)
- How martial arts connects with golf (21:20)
- A well structured hour of golf (25:28)
- Charla Golf Podcast (34:17)
- Final words of inspiration (37:01)
Links: