Foundations

Junior Golf Etiquette Before the First Competitive Round

Before a first competitive round a child needs a short list, not the rulebook. Be at the starting hole on time. Stand still and stay quiet while anyone plays. Shout fore if a ball heads toward someone. Be ready when it is your turn. Repair what you damage. Check every hole on the scorecard before it is handed in. Some of those are Rules of Golf with stated penalties and some are courtesy, and a committee's own code of conduct can add penalties of its own. The card below marks each item as a Rule, as The R&A's own guidance or as a courtesy, with the Rule number beside every item that has one.

Moving Up From 9-Hole to 18-Hole Junior Golf

In an organized junior event, the move from nine holes to eighteen is set by the organizer's divisions, and organizers draw the line in different places. On U.S. Kids Golf's Local Tours, the age groups 11 and up play eighteen holes and the younger groups play nine. On the Georgia State Golf Association's Junior Tour in 2026, nine-hole divisions run through age 15 and a family selects a division by age and ability. Where no organizer's rule decides it, the move is a family choice, and this page gives a worksheet of things to watch for and questions to take to your golfer and their coach.

Golf Practice Plan for Ages 6-8: Building the Fundamentals

The goal at this age is not a repeatable swing. It is a golfer who wants to come back tomorrow, and a set of physical skills that make every later lesson easier to learn.

Golf Practice Plan for Ages 9-11: Skill-Building Drills

This is the age where practice starts to look like training instead of play. Here is how to structure it so skill builds fast without pushing a golfer past what they can handle.

Golf Swing Fundamentals for Beginner Junior Golfers

Before a junior needs a single swing thought, they need four fundamentals to be right. Here is grip, aim, posture, and a simple swing sequence explained the way a beginner can actually use them.

Pace of Play Tips for Young Junior Golfers

Falling behind pace is almost never about a slow swing. It's a handful of fixable habits, and they are easier to build in practice than to fix mid-round under pressure.

First Driving-Range Visit: What to Bring and Book

You do not need a full new bag to try a driving range. You do need to know whether you are buying balls, time, a lesson or a particular bay.

Booking Golf as a Single: Slots, Pairing and Waitlists

Booking one place usually means joining other golfers, not reserving an entire tee time. The course’s booking system determines which openings a single can reserve.

First Golf Course: Par Three, Executive or Regulation?

Choose a first course by the shots and time it requires. “Short” can still include a difficult carry, a steep walk or a crowded booking window.

Twilight Golf vs Nine Holes: Buy the Round You Can Use

A twilight price is a time-based offer. A nine-hole price describes a different product, and neither label alone tells you what happens if you run out of time.

Does a Green Fee Include a Cart? Compare the Receipt

A headline green fee can describe only course access. Compare everything the group must pay before deciding which booking is cheaper.

Rent Golf Clubs or Bring Your Own? Compare the Whole Trip

The cheaper option depends on the number of rental days, transport charges and whether the available set suits the player. A rental request is not a confirmed set.

PGA Jr. League vs First Tee vs U.S. Kids Golf: Which First?

PGA Jr. League is team golf: two-person scramble matches on a local team with a PGA Coach. First Tee is a youth development organization whose local chapters teach golf and character together in group classes. U.S. Kids Golf runs Local Tours of one-day tournaments played in age groups. Start with the one that matches what your family is choosing: a team, a class or a tournament.

The Car Ride Home Rule: What to Say After a Bad Round

The ten minutes after a round shape how your junior talks to you for years. Here is the rule, why it works, and what to say instead of a breakdown of the back nine.

Caddying for Your Own Junior Golfer, Without Becoming the Problem

Whether a parent may caddie at a junior golf tournament is decided by the organizer, and on some tours by the player's age division. U.S. Kids Golf encourages family members to caddie on its Local Tours and requires a caddie for players 8 and under, while the AJGA's local rules say players must not have a caddie unless its national headquarters permits one. Where a caddie is allowed, Rule 10.3 of the Rules of Golf lets the caddie carry the clubs and give advice, and makes the player responsible for what the caddie does. This guide takes permission first, then the job, then what a parent should hold back.

Keeping Golf Fun for a Young Junior Golfer

A young player who wants to come back tomorrow is worth more than any swing improvement this month. Here is how to keep it that way, on purpose, instead of hoping it happens.

What Youth on Course Is and How It Works

Youth on Course is the reason a junior golfer can play a real round for $5 or less. Here is what the membership actually gets you and how to sign up.

Youth on Course vs First Tee vs PGA Jr League: Which Fits First

These three are not competing for the same job. One solves cost and access, one solves structure, one solves format. Here is how to think about it, not which one wins.

The $5 Topgolf offer: check the current terms

Youth on Course’s live offer page now lists October 31, 2026, replacing the September 3 date previously shown here. The offer can finish earlier if its redemption limit is reached.

Getting Your Daughter Into Golf: A Parent's Guide

Girls make up a much larger share of junior golf than they did a generation ago, and the on-ramps built for them are better too. Here is how to actually start.

LPGA*USGA Girls Golf Explained

LPGA*USGA Girls Golf is a junior golf program for girls ages 6 to 17, run in partnership between the LPGA Foundation and the USGA and delivered at local sites. It suits a beginner by its own description: the program says its sites make learning the game less intimidating for girls who are just starting out. Its FAQ says brothers and friends are welcome to join. Whether it runs through winter depends on the site, because some sites operate year-round and others seasonally, so ask the local Site Director.

PGA Jr League Explained for Parents

PGA Jr. League is team golf for players 17 and under. Pairs play nine-hole scramble matches for a local team led by a PGA or LPGA coach, and PGA Jr. League says no prior golf experience is required. The Tri-State PGA Section says 2027 player registration opens on November 13, 2026. PGA Jr. League's national site had not announced a date when we checked on October 11, 2026. A local program can open later, and each coach sets the program fee.

What Golf Gives a Young Kid

No overclaiming here. Golf is not a cure for anything. It is outdoor time, a manageable pace, real etiquette, and a sport that still fits at 70. That is the actual case.

Best First Golf Clubs for Juniors: A Starter Set Guide

A first set doesn't need to be expensive or complete. It needs to fit, feel light enough to swing correctly, and get out of the way of learning.

Golf Gloves for Juniors: A Sizing and Fit Guide

A glove that's even slightly too big will bunch up and slip during the swing. Here's how to size one correctly, what it's made of, and when to replace it.

Choosing Golf Clubs for a Toddler or Preschooler (Ages 3-6)

At this age, the club matters less than whether your golfer wants to swing it again tomorrow. Here's how to pick gear that keeps it fun without holding back the fundamentals.

How Many Clubs Does a Junior Golfer Need?

The rulebook allows 14 clubs. Almost no junior needs anywhere near that many. Here's how set size should actually track a golfer's stage, not the adult maximum.

When to Replace Junior Golf Clubs as They Grow

Junior clubs get replaced on two very different timelines: growth and wear. Confusing the two leads to buying too often at some ages and too rarely at others.

Best Golf Clubs for Ages 7-9: How to Choose the Right Set

There is no single best set of golf clubs for a 7 to 9 year old. There is a best set for your golfer's height, strength, and stage, and here's how to find it.