The New Junior Golfer

Strictly from a performance perspective, it seems like academy golfers have enormous success in the short run, and tend to flame out after junior golf, notable exceptions being, ch3, trevor immelmen, and paula creamer...

Be fair, Immelman won the Masters, don't get a great deal better than that.

Obviously academy's will give you a better learning environment and match you up with other golfers of your age and skill level.

You can though get just as much in my opinion in 1 on 1 lessons from a PGA Professional Teacher than at an academy.

Let the teacher know what your goals are and they will help you especially if your a steady client.

I think it's obvious to say though the days of a PGA Tour player having little to no coaching through their junior career are long gone. You need obviously as well your family to help you out because no 13-16 year old I know can afford $50/lesson on average once a week for maybe 35-40 weeks of the year, then Green Fees and clubs on top of that.

My experiences with going to a academy as well as my son attending one currently.

My businesses are located in the northern midwest so the season up here is only 6 months.

+'s

someone to compete and train against everyday

The availability of a top 100 teacher

Certified Golf fitness and mental trainers

Great nutrition

sharing a common passion with kids your age

your not going to have bullying or trouble at your small private school or academy

you can see the work ethic of the top guys

trips to tourneys with the academy so your parents dont have to take you

Going to a warm climate and going to school for half a day is pretty awesome

-'s

its a very bad idea if your parents don't earn 400k or more and have a very secure job.

I also have noticed alot of the top juniors already live in a warm climates and have a elite coach, so the appeal of a academy might not be so attractive.

just a couple thoughts

I don't see it as anything special. Seems why over hyped since that Golf Channel show. The only lessons I have ever had were when I was 9 years old and first starting out at golf. It was like 5 lessons on the basics of golf. I now play to a 1.0 handicap (it's dropping too). I would never make my parents spend that kind of money for how little you get out of it. All an academy does is make you "look better." I bet I could learn just as much from reading books and analyzing tour players swings as I would at an academy. I have already proven that by how much I have improved on my own. So bottom line save a crap load of money and put it to better use.

I don't see it as anything special. Seems why over hyped since that Golf Channel show. The only lessons I have ever had were when I was 9 years old and first starting out at golf. It was like 5 lessons on the basics of golf. I now play to a 1.0 handicap (it's dropping too). I would never make my parents spend that kind of money for how little you get out of it. All an academy does is make you "look better." I bet I could learn just as much from reading books and analyzing tour players swings as I would at an academy. I have already proven that by how much I have improved on my own. So bottom line save a crap load of money and put it to better use.

While your post is a bit harsh I tend to agree. Not saying I'm as good as the kids who attend those academies but I've built a swing thats gotten me to a low single digit handicapper in 4 years of playing without any professional instruction. I would say that avoiding an academy and making it on tour can be done.

However, I think an academy would be great for the mental and physical stuff (nutrition, working out, etc) and not so much the swing. I'd also LOVE to get away from these winters and play year round.

My parents don't make all that much, so its was up to me to find a place where I could play for free when I was searching for a job. While the winters stink up here in cold NY, its actually a plus because now it gives me time to devote to working out to prepare for the upcoming season, and maybe feel less burnt out.