Pro Tips: Teaching family and friends II

Editor’s note: This is the second part of a column from Inside Golf columnist Ryan Young about teaching golf to family and friends.

Tip #3 – When you finally take them to the course, keep it fun. The rules of golf are there to keep matches and tournaments fair. Beginning golfers are nowhere near ready to compete, so throw the rulebook out the window. Don’t worry about tee boxes, introduce mulligans, allow free drops out of hazards, toss the ball out of bunkers, and give any putt inside three feet. Some of the most frustrating parts of this game are taken away with these relaxed rules.

Another thing to be aware of are the many external factors of this game that create undo pressure and deter fun. When a new golfer feels pressure from factors like judgment from others, pace-of-play, and weather conditions, then they are less likely to have fun. So introduce them into an environment that is inclusive. For example, our Academy hosts beginner events at our course that are in the late summer evenings when the course isn’t booked, are only nine holes or less, do not have any scoring competitions, include adult beverages, offer a social atmosphere, and most importantly, are affordable. These are all factors that make the game as fun and inclusive as possible.

These tips aren’t meant to avoid using your local PGA Professional to help introduce your friend or family member to the game. They are here to help supplement their experience in between formal lessons. This is an amazing game with so many outlets for everyone to join. We want to ensure we give them the best opportunity to fine theirs. Keep it fun, praise Shot Euphoria, and start off easy. 

   For more help on introducing someone to the game, please contact me on Instagram or YouTube, @RyanYoungGolf. Or, visit our Academy website, www.chamersbaygolf.com/instruction.