Junior Golf Programs: Sarasota | Bradenton | Lakewood Ranch

In today’s world, many courses are looking for players to fill their facilities. Many facilities implement junior golf programs to create junior golfers to secure the future of the industry.

Who Is Considered A Junior Golfer?

As soon as a child is ready and wants to participate in junior golf, they would be considered a junior golfer.

In the US, one would be considered a junior player until they were the age of 18 or once graduated from high school.

However, as a parent, what do you need to know to best help your child?

Setting Junior Golf Goals

We all have heard the “need goals” speech, so I am not going to beat that dead horse. If you still have a young child or one that simply wants to play to spend time with friends or family, just let them play. If they are really into the game, you can look for homeschool or after-school golf programs in your area.

Junior Golf Programs For Younger Kids

I am often asked, “What age to start golf lessons?” In my junior golf program, the child makes the decision when they are ready. If they are younger, it is not just standing on the lesson tee receiving instruction. At a younger age, we really work on skill development and that make includes playing games that involve moves from other sports.

For younger kids, many kid-friendly courses and instructors offer free golf classes. These beginner lessons are usually very basic and cover the fundamentals.

Junior Golf Programs For Teens

Once your child reaches junior high or high school, many players want to attempt to make a team. At this point, you will need to do some research into more serious junior golf programs. This will be particularly true if your child decides they want to play in junior golf tournaments.

There are associations such as the Greater Sarasota Junior Golf Association that administer tournaments for all levels of players. Once they compete regularly in those fields, they could then progress up to and through US Kids, American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) and eventually the United States Golf Association (USGA) junior golf tournaments.

As your child becomes more and more competitive, their golf practice program could include summer camps for high school students. Like most things, the pricing of the best camps, like Nike Camps, can be pricey but a great learning experience. You will earn as you start to do your research, the golf school curriculum will vary as much as the pricing.

Your young golfer may even consider online golf training for kids. At their age, they are very used to learning through that type of medium and it allows them access to coaches all over the world. There are plenty of how-to videos on YouTube but… buyer beware. It is best to find an instructor and theory that you like and stick with it.

What Other Golfers Are Saying…

Excellent

Based on 105 reviews

Gregg Kinney

2023-09-20

I recently had the privilege of receiving golf instruction from Brad after years of inconsistent golf play. His ability to break down complex concepts into simple, digestible instructions is a testament to his skills as a golf instructor. Brad creates a relaxed and positive learning environment, making it easy to ask questions and seek clarification. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced golfer, Brad has the ability to identify and correct the subtle flaws in your technique, leading to improvements in your overall game. He is professional, courteous and a true asset to anyone seeking to enhance their golfing skills. Thanks to Brad, my golf game is much more enjoyable!

Kevin Tokarczyk

2023-08-01

I am a new golfer and just started playing 2 years ago with my roommates in college. Now that I have graduated, I’ve wanted to play the game more seriously and started taking lessons 3 months ago. I have had multiple instructors with little improvement. Brad was the first instructor that was able to break down my swing in the simplest way and gave me a better understanding of how my body is supposed to move through my swing. Brad is articulate and concise which is great for me as a beginner golfer because he is able to efficiently communicate without confusion or over-explanation. I have seen more improvement from my one session with him than I have with any other instructor. 1 week on from my lesson with him I am making much better contact with the ball and my swing is smoother and straighter. Thank you Brad, I look forward to taking another lesson from you!

Jeff Haag

2023-07-29

Brad is one of the best golf instructors I’ve had. He’s very patient, and worked with my swing. It was horrible in the beginning. He broke it down and explained, in small steps, how to improve it. I was never overwhelmed. He gave me drills to do, and I followed his instructions. After 8 lessons, my game has improved immensely. Brad met me at a club fitter, which was helpful. I plan to take more lessons as soon as my rotator cuff is healed! (Not from golf)

john jones

2023-07-08

WOW, what a great training experience. Brad is patient, knowledgeable and a great instructor. He is able to feed information in small increments and it makes it so much easier to learn. I am looking forward to more lessons on the future.

Benjamin Grais

2023-06-20

I am new to the area so I was looking for a golf coach who could help me improve my game. I have played golf for 35 years but as I have aged, I needed to adjust my swing with golf lessons and expert instruction. I found Brad’s website with a plethora of options including private and group lessons. In the last 3 weeks with Brad’s coaching, I have enrolled in both private and group instruction with substantial Improvement. Besides being an amazing coach, Brad has exceptional interpersonal skills. He is authentic and truly wants to learn about you and your golf game. He has the latest technology and is able to explain the results which translates to a better golf game. Thank you Brad! I appreciate all of your help, patience, and guidance.

Bob Hansbrough

2023-05-31

I started taking lessons in July 2022 and my goal was to regain my swing that I had lost due to lack of play for 10 years. I was shooting 100-105. My goal was to regain my tempo and break 90 by 1/1/23. That goal was shattered in just 90 days. I’m now scoring in the mid 80’s consistently and I’ve shot 79 once. Brad has been there every step of the way. He breaks the swing down in bite size pieces. I improve after each lesson and he’s there for his students daily. He even helped me get fit with a custom driver just a few weeks ago at Club Champion. He’s the real deal if you want to improve your game. Thanks Brad

James Suren

2023-05-22

Brad is a great Golf Instructor. He is good at asking questions to help you learn rather than just giving you the answer right away. Helped me fix my swing and find consistency. Responds to texts when I have questions during practice to keep me moving in the right direction. Highly recommend.

Jr Yang

2023-05-20

After so much frustration hacking away at balls on the range – it was a relief to finally have fun. I improved more in my one hour with Brad than I have in the past two months getting back into the game. His style is personable and relaxed, and he is a very effective communicator explaining concepts and correct feels. I finally feel confident standing over a golf ball again, and look forward to my next lesson with Brad. Roll Tide!

Sam Stebbins

2023-05-13

Really personable, easy to get a long with, and great applicable knowledge. I was a little anxious because I have a non traditional swing, but I was at ease with Brad immediately. He didn’t try and change my swing, rather he showed me where I could improve using my normal swing. I highly recommend Brad to anyone looking to improve their game.

Michael S

2023-05-11

Brad is an extremely knowledgeable and patient instructor. He explains things in an easy to follow manner. I highly recommend.

Junior Golf Programs or Kids Private Instruction

Golf classes for children or private instruction for kids is another topic that I often get questioned about.

Which is best? Both have their merit and many coaches offer both types of instruction. Many times it comes down to the pocket book.

It stands to reason; the group training is less expensive than one on one instruction. However, make sure your child is being challenged in the group training and not just hanging out with his/her friends.

As a parent, what should the junior golf lesson plans or clinic lesson plans look like? Over time the activity ideas should include but are not limited to…

* Rules of Golf

* Swing Fundamentals

* Course Management

* Personal Confidence & Advancement

Credentials of Coaches And Junior Golf Programs

As you are selecting a junior golf program or a golf school curriculum for your child, you will want to make sure that the instructors are qualified to coach.

Some of the qualifications that you will want to look for include but are not limited to…

TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) –

These golf coaches come as Level 1, 2 or 3. TPI golf programs take into consideration the age, maturity as well as their physical attributes to help build a proper swing that will be functional but is not as apt to cause injury.

US Kids Golf –

These certified coaches are trained not only how to properly club fit kids but also how to teach and keep the game fun. Each student is given a golf instruction booklet that starts with the fundamentals and progresses in difficulty as the student improves.

The US Kids clubs are highly recommended as they are properly weighted specifically for kids. Cutting down an adult club is cheaper but much heavier for the child and can lead to bad habits and even injury.

With this information, you should be able to find good junior golf programs for your child.

If you have any questions about programs involving Sarasota Junior Golf, feel free to contact us via phone at 832-515-7625 or via email at coach@ballflihgtacademy.com.

Through our junior golf lessons, we would love to introduce your child to the game or help them reach their golfing goals!

If you are wondering how can I find the best junior program near me, here is another article we wrote about finding the best coach in your area… Click here

The Ball Flight Academy has had students from Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Northport, Laurel, Northport, St. Petersburg, Ruskin, Parrish, Nokomis, The Meadows, Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Englewood, Osprey, Tampa, and all over Florida.

Here Is What Other Golfers Are Saying…

Excellent

Based on 105 reviews

Gregg Kinney

2023-09-20

I recently had the privilege of receiving golf instruction from Brad after years of inconsistent golf play. His ability to break down complex concepts into simple, digestible instructions is a testament to his skills as a golf instructor. Brad creates a relaxed and positive learning environment, making it easy to ask questions and seek clarification. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced golfer, Brad has the ability to identify and correct the subtle flaws in your technique, leading to improvements in your overall game. He is professional, courteous and a true asset to anyone seeking to enhance their golfing skills. Thanks to Brad, my golf game is much more enjoyable!

Kevin Tokarczyk

2023-08-01

I am a new golfer and just started playing 2 years ago with my roommates in college. Now that I have graduated, I’ve wanted to play the game more seriously and started taking lessons 3 months ago. I have had multiple instructors with little improvement. Brad was the first instructor that was able to break down my swing in the simplest way and gave me a better understanding of how my body is supposed to move through my swing. Brad is articulate and concise which is great for me as a beginner golfer because he is able to efficiently communicate without confusion or over-explanation. I have seen more improvement from my one session with him than I have with any other instructor. 1 week on from my lesson with him I am making much better contact with the ball and my swing is smoother and straighter. Thank you Brad, I look forward to taking another lesson from you!

Jeff Haag

2023-07-29

Brad is one of the best golf instructors I’ve had. He’s very patient, and worked with my swing. It was horrible in the beginning. He broke it down and explained, in small steps, how to improve it. I was never overwhelmed. He gave me drills to do, and I followed his instructions. After 8 lessons, my game has improved immensely. Brad met me at a club fitter, which was helpful. I plan to take more lessons as soon as my rotator cuff is healed! (Not from golf)

john jones

2023-07-08

WOW, what a great training experience. Brad is patient, knowledgeable and a great instructor. He is able to feed information in small increments and it makes it so much easier to learn. I am looking forward to more lessons on the future.

Benjamin Grais

2023-06-20

I am new to the area so I was looking for a golf coach who could help me improve my game. I have played golf for 35 years but as I have aged, I needed to adjust my swing with golf lessons and expert instruction. I found Brad’s website with a plethora of options including private and group lessons. In the last 3 weeks with Brad’s coaching, I have enrolled in both private and group instruction with substantial Improvement. Besides being an amazing coach, Brad has exceptional interpersonal skills. He is authentic and truly wants to learn about you and your golf game. He has the latest technology and is able to explain the results which translates to a better golf game. Thank you Brad! I appreciate all of your help, patience, and guidance.

Bob Hansbrough

2023-05-31

I started taking lessons in July 2022 and my goal was to regain my swing that I had lost due to lack of play for 10 years. I was shooting 100-105. My goal was to regain my tempo and break 90 by 1/1/23. That goal was shattered in just 90 days. I’m now scoring in the mid 80’s consistently and I’ve shot 79 once. Brad has been there every step of the way. He breaks the swing down in bite size pieces. I improve after each lesson and he’s there for his students daily. He even helped me get fit with a custom driver just a few weeks ago at Club Champion. He’s the real deal if you want to improve your game. Thanks Brad

James Suren

2023-05-22

Brad is a great Golf Instructor. He is good at asking questions to help you learn rather than just giving you the answer right away. Helped me fix my swing and find consistency. Responds to texts when I have questions during practice to keep me moving in the right direction. Highly recommend.

Jr Yang

2023-05-20

After so much frustration hacking away at balls on the range – it was a relief to finally have fun. I improved more in my one hour with Brad than I have in the past two months getting back into the game. His style is personable and relaxed, and he is a very effective communicator explaining concepts and correct feels. I finally feel confident standing over a golf ball again, and look forward to my next lesson with Brad. Roll Tide!

Sam Stebbins

2023-05-13

Really personable, easy to get a long with, and great applicable knowledge. I was a little anxious because I have a non traditional swing, but I was at ease with Brad immediately. He didn’t try and change my swing, rather he showed me where I could improve using my normal swing. I highly recommend Brad to anyone looking to improve their game.

Michael S

2023-05-11

Brad is an extremely knowledgeable and patient instructor. He explains things in an easy to follow manner. I highly recommend.