8 Great Reasons Why You Should Get Your Kids Playing Golf

Think golf is a game for seniors in their retirement years?

Hand your child a golf club, and you might be surprised at what happens.

Your child might not be the next Arnold Palmer or Annika Sorenstam. But golf can make a big impact in a young life.

Kids can benefit from the sport mentally, physically, and emotionally. The sport can set them up for success as they get older. Many of the skills learned on the course translate to real life.

Keep reading to learn the top reasons to get your kids playing golf.

1. Physical Activity

Is your child hitting the recommended one hour of physical activity every day? Golf is the perfect way to get your child active.

Walking from hole to hole gives your child aerobic activity. Carrying the golf bag helps build strength and endurance. They also build muscle as they play.

Swinging the golf club and hitting the ball take coordination. Young kids may struggle with that coordination at first. Practicing golf helps improve hand-eye coordination, which can benefit them in other physical activities.

As kids get older, they may add in other physical activity to improve their golf game. Your child might start strength training to help with the golf swing. They might do core muscle work for better stability.

Starting with just one physical activity like golf at an early age creates a lifestyle of activity. Golf is something kids can do for the rest of their lives. It’s a simple habit to start now to encourage that healthy lifestyle into adulthood.

2. Low Risks

Over 2.6 million kids 19 and under visit the ER annually because of sports and recreation injuries. Compared to contact sports like football and hockey, golf is a much safer option for your kids.

Golf is a low-impact, non-contact sport. That means the likelihood of a broken bone or head injury is much lower.

Injuries that do happen in golf are generally minor. Most golf injuries happen because of an improper swing or overuse issues.

Getting your child golf lessons to learn the proper mechanics can help decrease the chances of those types of injuries. A golf pro can teach your child everything from the proper golf grip to the correct posture.

3. Suitable for Anyone

Look across any golf course, and you’ll see people of all sizes, shapes, and ages enjoying the sport.

Some sports are easier to play if you fit a certain mold. Tall basketball players find the most success. Speed is important for runners and football players.

Golf is something that any child can play, regardless of strength, speed, or physical stature. It’s a sport that lets all types of kids find success if they stick with it.

Kids who feel like they don’t stack up in other physically demanding sports may feel more comfortable on the golf course. They quickly realize that they’re not at a disadvantage just because they’re shorter or slower than other kids.

Playing golf can be better suited for kids who don’t like large groups. Team sports come with a lot of pressure to perform. Since golf is individual, kids can challenge themselves and grow as an individual player.

4. Time Spent Outdoors

Does your child prefer video games and screen time over playing outdoors? Maybe your kids just haven’t found the right activity to get them excited about heading outside.

Golf gets your kids excited about being outdoors. They get fresh air and sunshine in addition to physical activity.

Benefits of playing outside may include cognitive development, socialization, improved vision, and increased attention span.

5. Friendships and Bonding

Playing golf gives you a chance to bond and grow friendships. When you golf with kids, you spend quality family time together. You create memories you can relive throughout your life.

Getting kids involved in youth golf also helps them meet friends. They have golf as a shared interest, which can make it easier to grow friendships. If they do tournaments, they’ll see the same kids at many of those events.

Kids can also get involved in partner or group play. This helps with socialization and learning to deal with those relationships.

6. Future Opportunities

Starting your kids playing golf at a young age may set them up for later success. They learn the basics of the sport early. That gives them a head start if they play for a high school sports team or in junior competitions.

If your child shows promise in the sport, it could even lead to scholarships.

7. Life Skills

Golf is a game of rules and etiquette. Sure, lots of sports have rules. But golf has lots of unspoken rules and points of etiquette kids need to learn.

It’s a good way to teach your child discipline. They have to not only learn but also follow the many rules. Every situation in life has rules, so this is a good skill for kids to learn.

Playing golf teaches kids to be polite and calm. They can’t throw a temper tantrum when the game doesn’t go their way. They can’t taunt the other players or trash talk on the course.

This can help kids understand that it’s important to stay calm and keep emotions under control in other areas of life. It’s good practice for frustrating interactions they’ll have in the real world.

Learning golf etiquette is a bit like learning how to interact in society. You need to read the room and understand the situation to figure out how to behave.

8. Confidence and Persistence

The idea of golf is simple. But gaining the skills to be a good golfer takes time and practice.

Golf teaches kids persistence. They learn how to overcome frustration and continue working to improve. They’ll see gradual improvement the more they practice, which motivates them to continue.

As they improve at golf, they gain confidence. That confidence follows them to other areas of life.

Embrace the Benefits of Kids Playing Golf

Kids playing golf may not be as popular as basketball, football, softball, or soccer, but the sport has many advantages. Starting your child at a young age helps develop the game skills and mental, emotional, and physical skills that come with it. Visit Blue Sky Golf Club to find out about our Junior Golf Lessons or learn more about the Golf Academy of North Florida.