Advice for young golfers
Hello everyone and welcome back to the blog!
This week I am offering advice for young golfers who want to take their game seriously. As someone who has been playing for over 17 years now, I have truly experienced it all. These tips are simple enough to follow, and once executed, they will open a world of opportunities. If you want to take your game to the next level, read on!
1. Coach
Finding a good golf coach is one of the most important things for a person who wants to develop their game. A coach can help you build strong fundamentals so that you can build good habits early. Throughout my career, I have seen players who neglected to build a strong foundation and suffered later. Having a good coach is crucial as they can help you with much more than your swing. For one, they can help teach you course management, which will help you lower your scores by making smarter decisions.
A great coach also cares about more than just the golf, they care about you as a person. I have been working with my coach Ben Paterson for the past eight years and he is the best. Working with Ben has been great for not only shaping who I am as a player, but as a person as well. Ben has always been invested in my journey and is supportive of any goal or dream that I want to achieve. I truly believe that having a caring coach can launch your game to new heights.
As Ben told me “a coach is someone you can trust wholeheartedly to provide honest guidance, encouragement and direction on the journey toward becoming your best self.”
A photo of my coach Ben Paterson and me. Image courtesy of Avondale Golf Club
2. Golf Club
Being a member at a good golf club is as important as having a good coach. Along with a well-maintained course, having access to quality practice facilities including a range, chipping green and putting green will help develop all parts of your game. I found that as my game developed, it was important for me to find a golf course that could allow me to hone my craft.
A good golf club can provide you with a lot of opportunities to compete. From playing weekly club competitions to representing the club on pennant teams, there are plenty of tournaments that provide experience. Although I have played in a lot of tournaments, one of my fondest golf memories is winning the 2020 Eric Apperly with my friends. Having a home course brings you into a community where you can learn from others, compete against them and improve your game. In order to improve your golf, it is vital to find a course that helps you tick all these boxes.
Our 2020 Eric Apperly team photo after winning the Shield at Twin Creeks Golf Club. Image courtesy of Golf NSW.
3. Short Game
Every golfer that I have met has said the same thing: “short game is everything.” Now, being an elite amateur golfer, I too know the importance of a good short game. How well a golfer plays from inside 100 metres separates the good players from the great ones. Having a good short game can help take the pressure off your long game. Even if you hit a poor shot, if you can get up and down, you still save par. A lot of young golfers focus on hitting as many balls as they can – which I can relate to. But at the end of the day, what is going to separate the cream of the crop is your short game.
There are many ways to improve your short game, but I think that creativity is key. Make sure that you learn how to play different shots such as a flop or a bump-and-run to develop your feel for the shot. An important tip is to ask your friends how they play different shots around the green. A shot can be hit hundreds of different ways and gathering information on how it can be played can benefit your game greatly.
This is me hitting a recovery bunker shot at St Michael’s Golf Club.
4. Who am I?
In my opinion, knowing who you are as a person is as important as knowing your golf swing. For a junior golfer this may be difficult, as learning who you are is a lifelong journey. But I think that reflecting on what your tendencies are is important. As you play golf, you will quickly realise your playing style. For example, some players are aggressive while others are patient. By understanding your personality, you can make smarter choices on the golf course and not be affected by those around you.
From my experience, figuring out what environment I work best in was a game changer. When I was a junior golfer, I would see good players practicing for long hours, so naturally I thought this was what I had to do to be just as good. But, as I grew older, I realized that practicing long hours is not for me. Everyone is different and you need to find what works for you. I know that I play the best when I play out on the course often and practice for quality rather than quantity.
That’s all for this week. As always, thank you for reading and I’ll see you next time.
If you have any questions or topics that you want me to cover, or have anything to add, please email me at: junesong02@gmail.com or send me a DM on Instagram: @juneesong