May 23, 2024

This paid piece is sponsored by GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness.

Five years old is not too young to pick up a golf club.

In fact, kids five through eight even have their own program at GreatLIFE Golf and Fitness designed to introduce them to the game and start building a love for it.

“We’re excited about how we’ve streamlined our programs together to form a true pipeline of development, allowing golfers to join us from the time they begin elementary school all through life,” said Drew Trautman, director of player development for the GreatLIFE Golf Academy.

“Junior golf in the Sioux Falls area is incredible, but we are full-service here and cater to everyone from the youngest golfers to the highest level of play.”

Here’s a closer look at the GreatLIFE Golf pathway.

‘Lil linksters

Be warned: You will not be able to resist the photo opp when you see your young elementary schooler ready to head onto the golf course.

This program for ages five through eight is all about sampling the game of golf and associating it with fun.

“We’ll even do things like kick around a soccer ball and do some other sports to keep them active and engaged instead of only focusing on golf,” Trautman said.

Sessions are one hour and run throughout the summer. Click here to learn more.

Junior Golf Camps

Designed for golfers ages eight through 14, Junior Golf Camps mark the start of GreatLIFE’s skills testing and progression programs.

Using a holistic coaching method, kids begin learning the sport with a strong foundational base.

“We know junior players start their golfing journey at different times and we don’t want to do anything to discourage or prohibit development if they don’t start right away at age five,” Trautman said.

“We go through fundamentals here and develop from square one and then track their development until they’re ready for GEN2.”

GEN2

When young golfers are ready to prepare competitively, GEN2 is ready for them. Geared toward ages 10 through 13, this program introduces advanced training principles and physical proficiency in an atmosphere tailored around competition.

“Everyone develops at a different rate, so with this progression we can say with confidence that there’s an option for everybody and your junior golfer is getting into the right program at the right time,” Trautman said.

NextGENERATION

When golfers reach their teens, NextGENERATION is the next stage in high-performance instruction. It utilizes proven formulas to provide long-term goal setting for those working toward the highest levels of play.

“This is our long-term development program for the competition junior player — that middle or high school player who is very active competing at a good level during the summer, plays for a school team in the spring or fall and potentially has an eye on playing at the collegiate level,” Trautman said.

What about teen players who aren’t planing to compete?

“We see that a lot, and if they’re past the age of GEN2 we typically recommend individual instruction,” Trautman said. “It’s a great place to get them comfortable as they develop and become more aware of their game. If they decide they’re ready for competition, we can move them to NextGEN, and if not that’s OK and we can still work on their game.”

He also recommends players of all ages play as many sports as they want.

“There are so many things about the game of golf that benefit from learning other sports,” he said. “It might be soccer or baseball or tennis or hockey, but there are a lot of things that accelerate development. Whether it’s your physical, mental or emotional side, you can benefit from other sports.”

What about adults?

Adults of all ages, abilities and skill levels can benefit from the programs at the GreatLIFE Golf Academy, which even works with players remotely.

“We have a multitude of tech platforms, even as easy as FaceTime, and we use them to work with everyone from collegiate players on the road who need assistance to professionals or even those out on a golf trip with friends who need assistance,” Trautman said. “The game of golf can be cruel. It can slip away in a second and we want to be there when they need help.”

To learn more about all programs at the GreatLIFE Golf Academy, click here.