With the growth of junior golf over the past several years, more and more junior golf schools are popping up all over the country. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a camp that is right for your child. Try to keep in mind the five “F”s of a junior golf school. These are Facility, Faculty, Fun, Financials and Future. The following article goes into detail and discusses each of these critical components.

Facility:

Look to see where the school is held. Proximity to your home is a consideration but not always the #1 priority. If the school is out of town determine how far of a drive it is to the school and is it near a major city. Most camps will pick up campers that fly in at a nearby airport. Most schools are held on school campuses, be it a college or a prep school. The better camps are held at schools that have a PRIVATE golf course and driving range on campus. There are a couple of advantages to going to a school with a golf course and driving range at the facility. First of all, the students get much more practice time and time playing the golf course. The less time the campers have to be shuttled to the driving range and course, the more instruction time they receive. Secondly, if the camp has a golf course right there students can spend their free time practicing on their own. Spending an hour of free time chipping and putting with fellow campers is a great way to practice what they just learned. The second factor to consider is living arrangements. This factor obviously applies to overnight-campers, not day-campers. Check to see where the junior golfers will be staying and eating. Some programs provide cabins, while others provide air-conditioned dormitories. This environment also gives the kids a good feeling of what it’s like to live at a prep school or college and hopefully prepare them for the future. The last thing to take into consideration is the other activities the facility offers. As much as a junior golfers loves the game, they will eventually need a break and do other activities. Most camps offer some options in the afternoon after the instruction is finished. Make sure the camp facility has the capability to offer options. A pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, and fitness room are just a few things options that should be open to the campers during down time. Don’t forget to ask about indoor activity options as well – in case of rain.

Faculty:

First thing to look for is to see what the ratio is of staff to campers. For a golf camp, if the ratio is 4 to1, that’s very strong. With this ratio you’ll know that the juniors are getting good instruction and the teaching environment is safe. Next, look and see who makes up the faculty. What is the staff’s background? Do they have camp experience? Have they worked with kids in the past? Do they have junior golf experience? Are there PGA/LPGA Professionals running the program? Are the counselors college players? Quality camps will have people with a lot of junior golf experience doing the instruction. Importantly, be sure that staff ratio is maintained off the course. Evening supervision is critical and you should choose a program that has the same ratio at night. Lastly check the school curriculum. What is the program for instruction and does it work with each junior at his/her own level? Does the instructional program cover all aspects of the game and have a proven track record? Is there a specific program for college bound players?

Fun:

No matter how serious the golfer or school, you can’t forget the fun factor. Many junior golfers now go to camp for 2 and 4 weeks at a time and if it’s not fun, it can negatively impact their future desire to play the game. This goes back to the staff and facility. Is there a place in the program that the golfers can relax and let loose? Is there flexibility in the schedule for options that use other aspects of the school’s facility? Many schools have weekend trips that visit local attractions. Trips to amusement parks and baseball games can break up the instruction and bring the juniors back to camp fresh.

Financials:

Overnight camps vary in cost based on length of stay and program offerings. The typical range is from $1,500 to $2,00 per week. The day-camper fee is lower by roughly 20%

Future:

The better junior golf schools send their students away with a plan for the future. Ask to see what kind of take home package each junior receives. Are there things for each student to work on when he/she gets home and the instructors aren’t there? Make sure the school is going to be held the next summer, so students can come back and see the same instructors. Also make it point to get contact information from instructors so your junior golfers can keep in touch and get help with their game at home.

Keep these few tips in mind when choosing a junior golf camp and your junior golfer will find a school where they can not only learn a lot about the game of golf, but even more importantly have a lot fun.

Article Prepared by Frank Mantua, PGA Professional & Director of Golf
US Golf Camps – The Ultimate Junior Golf Camp Experience
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