Nowadays, any activity that captures more than one child’s interest is bound to have a summer camp dedicated to cultivating kids’ enthusiasm for it. As a pastime enjoyed by millions of children, golf remains the focal point for hundreds of summer camps around the country. If your kids simply can’t get enough of the green, encouraging their golf habit by sending them to an interactive camp benefits more than just their ability to swing a beautiful back nine drive, however.
Golf involves physically driving a ball down the fairway, of course, but golf is also an exercise in achieving a deeper kind of drive. A great golf camp imparts the spirit of the game: the tenacity to carry a strategy over eighteen holes, the mental flexibility to snap back from a slip into a sandy bunker; the determination, and the character necessary to see an hours-long effort to completion, even when the results are less than victorious. No matter their age or experience level, junior golf campers will not only enrich their golf talents, but they’ll develop the drive to ace life.
But with so many camps offering comprehensive golf programs, identifying the experience that best fits your child might feel like putting in the dark. As someone who grew up on the green, I like to think I know a bit about what makes a great golf experience. Below you’ll find my list of 10 junior golf camps that parents or guardians might consider this summer.
- PGA Junior Golf Camps – The official camp of the Professional Golfers’ Association. PGA offers over 70 camp locations across the country, all staffed by respected experts in golf and childcare.
- College Golf Camps – Programs offered here were created alongside NCAA coaches, providing “an exceptional education opportunity for junior golfers.”
- US Golf Camp – US Golf Camp was voted the “Best Golf Service Business” by the Small Business Commerce Association. Boasting a 4 to 1 student to PGA professional instructor ratio, US Golf offers numerous individually-centered programs.
- Nike Junior Golf Camps – This illustrious camp has been educating young golfers for over 24 years, and has expanded to include over 100 venues nationwide.
- TOUR Academy – Children of any age can expect knowledgeable instruction from the country’s most respected PGA instructors at over 30 TOUR Academy locations.
- US Kids Golf – Developed especially to teach golf basics to beginners, US Kids Golf is ideal for kids ages six to twelve.
- Junior Players Golf Academy – The JPGA takes full advantage of the summer sun; it’s well-equipped with a 36-hole, state of the art outdoor practice course.
- Bishop’s Gate Golf Academy – Bishop’s Gate Golf takes an enjoyable, yet immersive approach to instruction. Students here are treated to fun, individualized mental and technical training techniques.
- IMG Academy Junior Golf Camp – IMG believes that preparing for a golf competition requires an emphasis on mental conditioning, as well as physical skill. They’ve tailored their approach to equally suit strengthening of the mind and body.
- International Junior Golf Academy – Children with unique golf goals require a specialized regimen; the IJGA recognizes this and trains on a developmental basis, in accordance with student objectives.
Hopefully, this list helps you locate the perfect place for your kids’ golf getaway this summer!