Juniors – Better Athletes Make Better Golfers

At Colorado Golf Fitness Club, we believe in the Titleist Performance Institute’s (TPI) approach to building great golfers…

Our goal for our Junior golf athlete development program is to first develop fundamental movement skills and establish functional movement patterns, then develop sport specific skills, teach golf-specific skills, and most importantly create a love for the game and a health lifestyle.

Great athletes become great golfers, not the other way around!

Unfortunately, today’s junior golfers are being treated like adults in most junior golf clinics! We must change this, so this is why we at CGFC as level three TPI Junior certified professionals have developed Colorado’s only junior golf athletic development program.

Our programs focus on one thing only, how to make the best athletes we can! Here’s what we know about PGA Tour players:

• The tour players we’ve worked with, on average, started playing golf at the age of 10;
• Played multiple sports growing up before making golf their single sport focus;
• Contribute much of their success to” becoming an athlete” first, not a just golfer; and
• Consistently worked on their fitness.

Saying that, we believe that if you build great athletes, then kids will be able to excel at any sport they choose in life, and almost more importantly, they develop a life long habit of committing to fitness and a healthy lifestyle.

Here’s how we approach creating athletes…

PHASES OF DEVELOPMENT “FUNdamentals”

Age- Males 6-9, Females 6-8
Goals- All about fundamental movement skills

1. All fundamental movement skills learned- Locomotion, stability, object control, and awareness skills. Skills acquisitions should be up to 90% of the program
2. Every 60 days- do fundamental screen
3. Utilize games to capitalize on the 1st speed window by encouraging agility, quickness and change in direction activities
4. Appropriate weight and length of clubs is paramount.
5. fitness should be 10% of the program and focus on BW exercises for stability and overall mobility
6. One to 9 holes a week that simulate golf- has to be fun!
7. One to two 90 minute sessions thru fundamental Cyclone.
8. Concepts of grip, posture, alignment, ball position, balance and weight shift may be introduced.
9. Ratio- 10% competition, 90% training
10. Rules, safety issues and etiquette should be introduced

PHASES OF DEVELOPMENT “Learn to Play”

Age- Males 8-11, Females 9-12
Goals- introduce all sports skills, continue with mastery of movement skills and begin to introduce golf specific skills

1. Utilize fast moving games to develop endurance and speed
2. Fitness is 20% of the program with focus on Med balls, SB’s and BW exercises for stability and continue to develop mobility thru dynamic warm ups.
3. 9-18 holes a week- still should be fun- course should be approx 4500 yds for males and 300yds for females
4. Minimum of two 90 min sessions thru Smash zone each week
5. All golf shots introduced. Green reading , face alignment, course management and score keeping should all be practiced
6. Ratio- 30% competition and 70% training
7. Limit other sport participation to 3 other sports max.

PHASES OF DEVELOPMENT “Train to Play”

Age- Males 12-16, Females 11-15
Goals- This is one of the most critical phases since this is where golf skills are really ingrained for life.

1. Child should be physically literate by now.
2. Usually go thru growth spurt so look for poor coordination or skill regression
3. Second speed window- speed, power, and strength during this phase
4. Fitness is 40% of program. All aspects of conditioning should be introduced. Activation, body prep, mobility, stab/strength, cardio conditioning, and recovery.
5. Should play 36-54 holes a week and practice 2-3x’s per week
6. Practice should be 70-80% block and 20-30% random per session. Should be hitting about a 1000 balls per week which includes putts and chips.
7. Should be practicing golf skills 20-40 hrs/ week (this includes time on the course) plus should own, own set of custom fit clubs.
8. Ratio- 40% competition and 60% training. Should have a USGA handicap and compete on courses that are at least 6000 yds long for males and 5400 yds for females. 10-12 competitions per year.
9. Should know rules of golf and have good control of their game while playing (know distances with ea club, shot tendencies and risk-reward decision making)
10. Limit other sports to 1 other

PHASES OF DEVELOPMENT “Learn to Compete”

Age- Males 16-18, Females 15-17
Goals- College prep, national tournament play and physical development

1. Full strength development 18 months after PHV
2. Advanced biomechanics testing. Club fitting should be done once to twice a yr.
3. Fitness is still 40% of program. All conditioning continues with a focus on strength and power development
4. Should play 36-72 holes per week and practice 3-4 times per week
5. Practice should be 30% block and 70% random
6. Ratio- 40% competition and 60% training. Should be practicing and competing on regulation length courses. 15-25 competitions per year.
7. Limit all other sport participation
8. Nutrition and recovery techniques introduced

By the way, IT’S NEVER TO LATE TO GET INVOLVED! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us!