Mastering the Game: A Junior Golfer’s Guide to Growth

For young players, golf teaches etiquette, life lessons, and rewards us for the work we put in. However, to master the game, professional guidance and continuous practice with intention is essential. I am Michael LaBella, an expert golf coach with 17 years of experience coaching junior golfers to reach their goals. My keys  to successful  junior golf instruction include making it fun, getting on the course, improving skills first, mental game training, and developing friendships. Here, I will share a few practical tips and strategies that can help junior golfers reach their full potential.

Pre-Tournament Checklist for Junior Golfers

Here are a few tips and strategies that I used in training junior golfers.

1.     Physical Preparation

The training starts with physically preparing my golfers for the game. It includes:

Focused Practice

Just like every sport, golf also requires focused training. When I am preparing junior golfers for a tournament, I encourage them to work on specific areas like putting, short game, and course management.  I even tell them to make practice harder than play, this will make you feel more confident when put in difficult or high pressure situations. This builds confidence and helps them to stay focused on the golf course.

Playing a Practice Round

Before the tournament, if possible, players should try to play a practice round on the tournament golf course. This helps them understand the layout, slopes, and hazards on the course. If junior golfers are familiar with the golf course, it makes them feel more confident.

Checking the Equipment

The clubs are an important part of the game. Make sure all the clubs are clean and in proper condition before the tournament. It is advisable to keep extra golf balls, gloves, and proper attire based on the weather you may face for the event.

Maintain a Proper Diet

As golfers spend long hours in the sunlight, there is a high chance of getting dehydrated. It is best to start hydrating yourself 48 hours before the tournament. Prior to and during your round you can also use electrolyte packets to add to your water to assist in staying hydrated. I also recommend stocking your golf bag with plenty of fruits, nuts, or protein bars to ensure you maintain a consistent energy level during the tournament. My go to in-round snack is a banana and peanut butter and jelly sandwich!

Proper Sleep

Junior golfers must get proper sleep before the tournament. At least 8 to 10 hours of sleep is necessary to remain alert, focused, and well-prepared for the tournament.

2.     Mental Preparation

Along with being physically fit, a player must be mentally prepared to tackle any situation.

Setting the Goals

An integral part of any golfer's journey, especially junior golfers, is to set realistic goals. This may include: what you do pre-round or in-round. For example, pre-round: your goal may be to arrive 2-hours before your tee time to make sure you have enough time to register, and prepare your mind and body for the tournament. For example, in-round: your goal may be to make sure that you’re committed to each shot before you execute each shot.  Setting goals assists golfers in having a plan of action, it motivates golfers, and allows them to remain focused during their rounds of golf.

Power of Visualization

It is one of the most powerful tools to prepare junior golfers mentally. Learning to visualize successful shots and positive outcomes, allows you to put the mind at ease and things seem to fall into place. I personally recommend learning how to meditate; we see high level athletes in the NBA, NFL MLB, and on the PGA Tour meditating 15-minutes a day and saying how much of a positive impact this has on their lives and athletic experience. I personally have seen this as a huge impact on daily life and golf.

Focus Flow Tips

There may be situations when junior golfers get nervous or panicked on the golf course, maybe it is a high pressure situation, like playing in their first tournament, on track to shoot their lowest round, or having a putt to win. I am partnered with the team from FlowCode Golf, through FlowCode we can prescribe different Flow Triggers that allow your junior golfer to find calm and clarity when the pressure is at its highest. Just like the golf swing, these mental strategies must be developed and practiced.

Positive Approach

Being positive throughout a tournament is very important, it’s not always about winning or losing, it is about learning and growing. We can learn from each experience when both positive or negative. Let’s be grateful for having the opportunity to play such an amazing game!

3.     Logistical Preparation

Junior golf instruction includes learning what goes into a proper warm-up routine, course strategy, gear, and mindset to give their best performance. It includes:

Plan Your Route

To avoid delays in reaching the course, a golfer must know exactly how to get there and what the factors are that can delay his/her arrival. I recommend my golfer to arrive at least an hour before, so they get enough time for warm-ups, check-ins, and settling in calmly. Some of my players like a little extra time to mentally prepare through pre-round meditation.

Pack Essential Items

It is important to pack the essential items the day before. Check your bag and make sure you have plenty of balls, tees, and gloves. Double check your tournament registration confirmation to see if there are any special instructions upon arrival. Lay out your golf attire for the day, and pack water, protein rich snacks, and other essential equipment based on the weather for the event. If traveling a long distance for the event make sure to overpack to be prepared for any situation.

Keep a Check on the Weather

The weather is the most unpredictable thing on the course. You must be prepared for all weather conditions, keep a check on the weather forecast as your event approaches and pack accordingly. Please see below for some suggestions

Sunny/hot days

• Sunscreen

• Bucket hat

• Sunglasses

• Extra water

• Electrolyte packets

• Cooling towels
  

Rainy Days

• Umbrella

• Rain gloves

• Rain Hat

• Rain pants

• Rain jacket

• Extra towels to dry grips off before hitting

• Ziplock bag for phone

• Make sure to not have mesh shoes
  

Cold Days

• Cart mitts

• Hothands warmers

• Extra outer layer of clothing

• Recommendation: Shirt/Vest/Pullover - you can shed layers as you warm-up

• Ear warmers
  

Warm-Up Routine

Having a proper warm-up routine is essential to preparing the mind, and body for your round.  Making this consistent from round to round or tournament to tournament will increase your confidence because you are prepared for what's to come. You should arrive no later than an hour prior to your tournament round. Your warm-up routine should include the following:

• Stretching: focus areas should be on hips and shoulders. Keep a resistance band in your bag to assist in getting warmed-up

• Putting - calibrate your set-up,  the speed of the greens, and have a set of distances you work on.

• Greenside wedges - calibrate the speed of the greens, work around the green from three different locations (sand, rough, fairway), vary your distances and trajectories.

• Full-Swing - go through your bag, picking different targets and finishing with the club you’re going to use on the first tee. Finish with seeing the shot you want to see on hole 1.
  

Role of Parents and Guardians

During a game, the support of the parents and guardians plays an important role.

4.     Game Day Tips

Keep the Calm

On the day of an event, I remind my juniors to stay in their process and focus on the purpose of each shot. Give each shot a specific intention, focus on that intention, and take each challenge as it comes. Being present in the moment allows us to direct our energy in one direction.

Maintaining the Energy

Golf can consume a lot of energy mentally and physically. Golfers need to remain hydrated and have plenty of energy enriching foods such as nuts or protein bars.

Preparation is Key

Being prepared helps junior golfers face any situation on the course. I use these strategies as guidelines, which help my junior golfers perform to the best of their abilities during tournaments.

At MLaB Golf, located at Butler Country Club, just north of Pittsburgh, I, Michael LaBella, guide junior golfers to unlock their full potential. My goal is to empower athletes with the right technique and strategy to tackle every situation on the course.