Instruction
The 4 Tenets of Junior Golf Success
I was fortunate to be raised across the street from a beautiful course in Illinois called Mt. Prospect Golf Club. MPGC had a wonderful junior golf program, and the experience was pivotal in my junior golf experience. To this day, my memories of attending the summer golf camps are still vivid.
The golf bug bit me when I was about 9 years old. I played all the sports: baseball, basketball, soccer and football, but golf stuck in my mind. My Dad played golf early Saturday mornings, and my older brothers played golf, too, so golf was always around in my family.
The first PGA Tour event I attended was the Western Open played at Butler National. I was exposed to the majestic fairways and huge trees, and I distinctly remember seeing what I thought was a giant of a man walking down the middle of the fairway. He looked so calm and cool with his clothes and shoes perfectly pressed and cleaned. At that moment, I knew I wanted golf to be in my future.
Now that I coach junior golfers, my mind frequently returns to the four tenets of junior golf that were taught at the junior golf camps I attended so many years ago at MPGC. They were just as important then as they are now.
No. 1: Keep it FUN
When you’re teaching junior golfers (and I’m talking about junior golfers like you’re going to see in these photos, not high school prodigies), try to create as many fun chipping, pitching, and putting contests as possible.
We had a basement in my childhood house, and me and my brother were always creating fun, miniature putt-putt courses. When I first started teaching junior golfers, I knew this would be a cool way to teach them to putt. Using string, ribbon and electrical wire, I was able to recreate my childhood putt-putt courses on regular putting greens. My students always enjoy the challenge of trying to keep the different colored golf balls inside the strings.
Another thing I remember loving as a kid was loud noises. One day I was thinking, “What causes a really loud noise?” The answer I came up with was metal garbage cans, and I knew chipping a golf ball into a metal garbage would give awesome feedback. That lead to me this awesome drill; just lay a garbage can on its side with the mouth facing the junior and have them hit pitch shots into it.
It’s amazing how much a junior golfer of any age loves smashing a golf ball into a metal garbage can, and how much it makes them focus at the task at hand… a the loud BOOM of success only makes kids want to do it more. What makes this type of practice even better is the it teaches a child to control the club face, ball position, shaft lean, ball flight and swing direction while having a lot a fun in the process.
No. 2: Let Them Play
“Let them play!” was the famous chant from the great movie, Bad News Bears, and it’s great advice for junior golfers. I always encourage junior golfers and their families to get them on the golf course as soon as possible. Even if the junior can’t play a full golf hole, they can play from about 30 yards in front of each green and see how low they can score on a hole or on 9 holes.
There are a ton of benefits to doing this, the first of which is teaching junior golfers how to score. I like to treat each hole as a par-3, and until they start making pars and birdies, there’s no reason to make the course longer. There is a story of Jack Nicklaus’ coach, Jack Grout, making Nicklaus play from the forward tees until he made a certain amount of birdies. This helped him get comfortable scoring and going low.
It’s no secret that most successful junior golfers have the best short games. They are by far the best putters, chippers, sand players and pitchers of the golf ball. That’s why I like to see junior golfers continue to work from the green backward in their development, progressing from 30 yards to 50 and maybe even 100 yards with the goal of making a target score. Eventually, your junior golf will be all the way back to the regulation junior golf course, and when they are, they’ll understand how to score and how to put the ball in the hole in the fewest number of strokes.
No. 3: Keep it Simple
Golf instruction for juniors and adults is completely different. Junior golfers need to learn basics in the golf swing. Balance, a proper grip, the stance, good alignment and the finish position are just some of the basics junior golfers needs to understand.
These fundamentals can seem boring, but there are ways to make them fun. The first place to start is to remember that the less information a junior golfer receives, the better. My favorite lesson is to have a junior learn the finish position in balance. Knowing that, it’s easier for them to learn the full swing. All they have to do is work backward.
Another great way to help them learn the swing is to have them watch professional golf, specifically their favorite PGA Tour or LPGA Tour player. It will have a surprising and important effect on a junior golfer’s swing. Most importantly, let junior golfers develop their swing mechanics at their own pace. Pushing mechanics too early is a recipe from problems.
No. 4: Experiment
I want my junior golfers to be able to hit every level of shot, or at least try. I ask them to get creative and try to hit their shots higher or lower. My favorite drill is taking a chair and having a junior hit a full shot keeping the ball under the chair. This will help them learn how to playing into the wind or hit a shot under a tree on a course.
I also like my junior golfers to learn how to use each of their club in a bunker. You will be amazed at how a junior golfer loves a challenge of trying to get out of a bunker with their 7 iron. You can also teach them how to chip with their fairway wood, which will teach a them touch around the greens. One great drill is putting from super long distances, which will only benefit a junior golfer as he or she gets older. And every once in awhile, an 80-foot putt drops. That look on their face… it’s priceless.
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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Jess Frank
Jul 9, 2017 at 8:42 pm
Thanks again for your reply Sir!
B Moore
Jul 9, 2017 at 10:46 am
Jess thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences. The galvanized garbage can is a great idea.
Jess Frank
Jul 9, 2017 at 12:18 pm
Hey B Moore! Thank you so much for reading and responding to my article! It’s my passion to help players of all abilities and ages to have more fun playing and practicing the game of golf:) Both adults and kids love the garbage cans! The smashing is fun! Thanks again!
Alex
Jul 8, 2017 at 8:52 pm
Good article. That’s what I did as a kid. And what children did too when we had a great junior program at my course. The kids would spend the day making up games. Some of them are scratch players now and they have some impressive touch around and on the green.
Jess Frank
Jul 9, 2017 at 12:22 pm
Thanks for reading and reaching out Alex! Growing up around an awesome junior program, I was fortunate to be exposed to a game that lasts a lifetime! Many of my friends who I grew up with ended up playing high school and college golf because of the program in Mt. Prospect, IL! FUN and Learning the game for kids and adults is so important! Kids and adults learn solid ball striking in a manner that is fun and exciting! Thanks again!
PPPP
Jul 7, 2017 at 10:03 pm
Ludicrous!
The 4 tenets are
Practice, practice, practice, play
Jess Frank
Jul 8, 2017 at 7:22 am
Hey PPPP,
Thank you so much for reading and responding to the article! I totally agree with your 4 tenets. However, you are now competing in a different world with X Box, Mine Craft, etc. and as a junior golf instructor we need to be creative to keep the child’s attention. Children learn through play and expressing themselves so they feel comfortable in their own learning environment! Phil Mickelson just had an awesome interview on Golf Channel Academy with Martin Hall about how he learned how to compete with short game contests growing up. Getting kids to the course and around golf is the way to grow the game. Thanks again!
Ude
Jul 8, 2017 at 2:56 pm
PPPP = Pretty Pathetic Practice Player
Jess Frank
Jul 8, 2017 at 6:29 pm
LOL! I like it! I bet you are better on the course under the gun PPPP!
Ude
Jul 9, 2017 at 1:00 am
As a child I didn’t play golf; I played the piano for many years. I had weekly lessons and practiced a lot, a lot, so when I got on stage I performed.
I also played b’ball, tennis, soccer, all leg-foot running sports.
Golf came later in life and I have a decent homemade swing because I know solitary practice based on my childhood piano practicing.
The difference between my and my golf buddies is they freeze on stage while I step up and perform, not flawlessly but respectably.
I have no indecisiveness and can perform within my capabilities.
No stage fright here.
Jess Frank
Jul 9, 2017 at 8:37 pm
Hey Ude!
Thank you very much for your comments! I agree 100%! One of my mentors said you don’t practice once and then go play Carnegie Hall. It takes hard work, perseverance and lots of practice. People see the finished product on TV but what they don’t see is a kid who has hit millions of golf balls and grinded for years. Traveling to no name towns and building confidence and grit under pressure. Your background has conditioned you and prepared you for high pressure situations. Sam Snead used to listen to classical music while practicing. So music and golf are intertwined. Good luck with your game and thanks again!
Was
Jul 7, 2017 at 9:07 pm
Oh please don’t feed the monkey=
ooffa
Jul 9, 2017 at 6:34 am
See what I mean Jess, If you travel down his rabbit hole of lunacy don’t say you weren’t made aware.
Old Putter
Jul 7, 2017 at 3:10 pm
When number one wasn’t “have a rich dad” I didn’t bother with the rest of the article
Ude
Jul 7, 2017 at 4:15 pm
bitter bitter bitter
Jess Frank
Jul 7, 2017 at 4:49 pm
Hello Old Putter, thanks for your comments! There are so many positive ways to get children into the game at a very low cost. Check out the First Tee Program in your areas. There are many YMCA’s that also offer inexpensive ways into the game. Most public courses will let children chip and putt for free and even have discounted rounds or free rounds of golf for kids accompanied by an adult. We have a local par 3 course you can play for $7 in Boca Raton on the Ocean too:)
Jon Doyle
Jul 8, 2017 at 12:16 pm
I suggest you Google the First Tee or the Tiger Woods Learning Centers. Golf isn’t just for rich kids anymore, and it hasn’t been for a long time.
Jess Frank
Jul 8, 2017 at 6:30 pm
I agree 100% Jon Doyle! So many inexpensive ways to get kids into the game now! Many junior programs also offer hand me down US Kids sets:)
BlubberButt
Jul 7, 2017 at 11:24 am
Are you that desperate for ad revenue that you need video ads that cover the entire screen when loading a page?
Joey5Picks
Jul 7, 2017 at 3:12 pm
You could give some people a $100 bill and they’d complain it’s not crisp and brand new.
BlubberButt
Jul 7, 2017 at 4:34 pm
False equivalency much? This site has ads at the top banner, down the sides, in the middle between the articles and comments, and popup banners at the bottom. I think putting up with that level of ads is pretty reasonable compared to most websites. Adding those big things that fill up the whole screen and cause the page’s material to shift seems excessive. Maybe they should focus on cutting their costs if they are that short of money.
AG
Jul 8, 2017 at 3:11 am
What Ad? Just use AdBlock Plus and Ghostery. You won’t see a thing