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EQUIPMENT

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Invest in Lessons and Equipment

The odds of success are improved if you get a child started by learning fundamentals from a PGA professional, either through individual or group lessons.

By RICK MARTINOPublished: May, 2007

It’s true that some of golf’s greatest champions were self-taught. Lee Trevino is prMbably the best example. And it’s also true that some fantastic players had fairly rudimentary equipment when they started out, such as Tiger Woods.

But the odds of success are improved if you get a child started by learning fundamentals from a PGA professional, either through individual or group lessons. Without the proper fundamentals, the game will be harder — and more frustrating — for your child to learn.

Even if you’re an accomplished player, it’s best to have your children take lessons from a trained professional, not only because they understand the game inside and out, but because a PGA professional has the experience, time and patience to work with a child.

Meanwhile, today’s equipment manufacturers have clubs specifically designed for children. The heads are lighter, the shafts are more flexible and the grips are thinner, so small hands can fit properly on the club. These clubs make the game easier for a child and gives them a sense of ownership rather than having to play with an adult’s castoffs.

A junior set doesn’t have to include 14 clubs. Usually, for a child starting out, a fairway wood, 3-, 5-, 7- and 9-irons, as well as a sand wedge (one that’s not too heavy) and a putter will get the job done.

Rick Martino is the director of instruction for the PGA of America.