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.

7 Tips For Playing Golf With Your Coworkers

Getting ready to play a game of golf with your coworkers?

Wondering how you can make the most of it?

Preparing to play a game of golf with your coworkers or your boss can be very stressful. While you may feel comfortable being around your coworkers at the office, the dynamics of your relationships can be different when you’re out on the golf course. It can be hard knowing how you should behave.

Luckily, we’re here to help. Below we’ll give you a few of the top tips for making the most of playing golf with your coworkers or boss.

1. Make Sure You Look Good

Even if you’ve never played a game of golf in your life, the truth is that you can still look great out on the course if you know how to dress the part. Playing golf is about the whole experience and not just about winning and losing.

When at the golf course, you’ll want to wear a golfing outfit that will make you look good and will also help you feel more comfortable. Golf clothes with sweat-wicking fabric are ideal for keeping you feeling comfortable and cool. You’ll also want to get a hold on some golf shoes as well.

Remember that if you project a look of comfort when you’re playing golf your coworkers or your boss will probably take notice.

2. Demonstrate Your Confidence

Playing golf with your coworkers or your boss is a great opportunity to show them how confident you are. The way a person plays golf can be indicative of how they overcome challenges in the professional world as well.

If you get frustrated easily over poor swings or missed putts and you show that to your coworkers or boss it may not look so good. Having a calm and controlled demeanor that projects confidence is essential when out on the golf course.

Don’t let yourself get too worked up over small things. Look at the game as a challenge to overcome and give it your best with the same type of finesse, confidence, and ability that you would with your job.

You don’t have to be overly serious and you don’t even have to win, but keeping a cool demeanor during the game can say a lot about you to those you’re playing with.

3. Know the Game

If you’ve never played golf before your outing with your co-workers, you’ll want to learn everything you can about it before you start playing.

Taking some golf lessons before playing with your coworkers can be a great idea. However, at the very least make sure you know everything you can about the rules and playing tactics. Learn what you can about golf tricks and make sure that you find out how to focus on your grip.

Knowing the basic rules of the game is essential but if you do a little bit of research beforehand you’ll probably look much better when you’re out on the course. You’ll avoid slowing everyone down or needing to get things explained to you throughout the day.

4. Learn the Language

As part of learning as much as you can about the game of golf, it’s also a great idea to study up on common golf lingo and etiquette as well. There’s plenty of golf jargon that players use while on the course and if you understand some of it you’ll have a much easier time interacting with co-workers and bosses who are more experienced than you.

Learn the basic terms such as par, birdies, drives, putts, as well as other expressions that are used to express what is happening in the game. “Hitting it fat” for example means that you’re accidentally hitting the ground before you’re hitting the ball.

Knowing these types of expressions can be a big help when you’re playing and using them correctly can make you look good when playing.

5. Find Out About the Course

In addition to finding out about the game of golf itself, it’s also a great idea to find out about the specifics of the game of golf you’ll be playing with your coworkers. If you can find out what course you’ll be playing beforehand, it can be a big help in allowing you to be more ready for the big day.

Find out about the course itself and do some research online about what you can expect from it. If there are any particularly tricky spots or special tips you’ll probably be able to read about it online.

With this extra knowledge behind you, you’ll be more prepared for the game and will feel more comfortable when playing.

6. Have Fun

Staying relaxed is essential when you’re playing with your coworkers. You’re getting a chance to be away from the office when playing, so you should enjoy your time the best that you and use it to get to know your coworkers a little bit better.

Don’t take the game too seriously and worry about every little thing you do. While you will want to behave in a professional demeanor with your boss it’s okay to be a bit more relaxed with your coworkers when out on the course.

Even if you’re not a great player, bring whatever positivity that you can to the game. If you do, you’ll ensure that your coworkers have enjoyed spending time with you during the game even if you’re not the best golfer around.

7. Try to Win

While you should be trying to have fun when golfing with your coworkers, don’t forget to actually do your best either.

Many people mistakenly believe that they should let their boss win or are worried that beating their co-workers too badly will make them mad. However, the truth is that golf is a game of skill and many players who take the game seriously will simply be impressed if you do a great job.

While you shouldn’t gloat about winning, actually trying and doing your best is almost always a good thing.

Getting Ready For Playing Golf With Your Coworkers

Playing golf with coworkers or with a boss can be a stressful experience if you’re not prepared for it. Luckily, by using the above tips you’ll have the best time when out on the golf course. You’ll ensure that you and your coworkers have a positive experience while being out of the office for a change.

Need a bit of extra practice before playing golf with your coworkers? Click here to check out our golf club and to find a tee time now.