Junior Equipment Advice
Our Coaches are very aware that they have a small amount of time to get your children ‘hooked’ into Golf. One of the main ingredients is the equipment your child plays with.
Parents often go to large retail stores and are given a package set at what seems a reasonable price, unaware that the clubs are too heavy for their child to swing efficiently. We know that if the clubs are light enough for the child to swing efficiently, they have the ability to get the ball into the air = child hooked!
Our Equipment Top Tips
Juniors enjoy things they are good at. Ill-fitting equipment stops them being as good as they could be. Here’s our Top 5 Tips for selecting appropriate equipment for budding Golfers:
Cut-off adult clubs have been the standard for children’s use for many years. But most adult golfers wrestle with poor swing habits resulting from their start with cut-off clubs that were too heavy and stiff.
Club Weight is one of the most important aspects of selecting clubs for your child. In general lighter clubs allow more clubhead speed and distance, improve balance, and help children develop a smooth, natural swing. This isn’t always the case however, so we ALWAYS suggest children go through a similar process as an adult would i.e. an appropriate custom fitting session.
Club Length is also critical in developing a good swing and learning the fundamentals. A driver length should never be above the bottom of the ribs or below the belt line.
When selecting a first club, a putter is the best choice to first put in a child’s hand. Then a short (9-7 Iron) because it’s fun and easy for children to hit the ball in the air off of a tee. Add a lofted fairway wood or hybrid club for the ideal starter set.
Fitting through the years is key to the development and improvement of the young golfer. Children grow an average of 2.5 inches per year after age two, so as your child grows, their equipment appropriateness needs to be closely monitored. Re-fit according to their Physical Characteristics (height, strength, coordination etc), and Technical Ability. As a general rule children ages 3-12 should be checked every 6 months and children aged 13-18 every should be checked every 3 months.
A good starting point is US Kids equipment. They concentrate solely on manufacturing Junior golf equipment.
Another fantastic option for the more advanced Junior is PING Prodi G. They offer the same score-lowering technology of adult sets but are custom-engineered to fit golfers ages 7 to 13 & between 4' 5" and 5' 2" tall. They are coupled with PING’s "Get Golf Growing" Programme; if you buy at least five Prodi G clubs you're entitled to a one-time, no-charge service to have the clubs re-shafted or lengthened, re-weighted, and re-gripped as your golfer grows.
Please note: we recommend each Junior goes through a thorough fitting process to determine their appropriate specifications before purchasing.
Have a look on www.uskidsgolf.com, www.eu.ping.com, pop into see us at The Archerfield Performance Centre and The Shop at Archerfield to see their extensive range.
Junior Programme
One to One
Camps