Golf is a game you can play for a lifetime. When you get on the range, it’s not uncommon to see a tiny, pint-sized golfer swinging next to a retiree. That’s part of its beauty.
Playing from a young age is extremely beneficial for development. Learning the basics of the game early sets you up for success. Like most things, learning as a child is much easier than learning as an adult.
But don’t let that make you fall into the trap of thinking that you—or your child—must be a full-fledged golfer as a teenager.
“The biggest mistake that parents make is that they become obsessed with results too early,” he says GOLF Top 100 Teachers Jonathan Yarwood. “If you’re obsessed with results early — winning tournaments early — you stifle development.”
As a new golfer, you don’t have to worry too much about your place on the leaderboard. You won’t lose your PGA Tour card or get relegated to the mini-tours based on how you perform in a minor event like a 12-year-old.
“Early on it’s about developing, mastering the skills, transferring the skills and creating the player for later,” says Yarwood. “That’s really the key. Early success doesn’t mean you’re going to be a great player (later).
This mindset echoes a similar sentiment held by the game’s top player, Scottie Scheffler. After winning the 2025 PGA Championship, he explained that one of his best things longtime swing coach Randy Smith taught him as a junior golfer was patience.
“Randy always did a really good job of reminding me that it’s a long journey to become good at golf,” Scheffler said. “I wasn’t always the best player. I felt like I could be the best player. But I was a good young player, a good amateur player, and I did a good job of moving up in professional golf. Randy was always there for me, helping me stay patient and teaching me little things along the way.”
If you want to be truly great, it’s not about being the best golfer at 12 years old. At that age, it is much more important to develop the foundations and skills you will rely on later.
If you are a new golf parent, remember this tip. Be patient and don’t get too hung up on the results early on. If you do, you’ll do a much better job of positioning your child for success later.
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