To Junior golfers and their parents.

  Here is some news you want to be aware of, especially with younger players.  There is a study coming out of Europe later this year so I don't have all the details yet, but here is what I know so far.   Researchers have found that when junior golfers grow more than 1" per month over a 3 month period their performance on the course is very likely to decline.  From there they will loose their confidence and then they will quit playing! That is the pattern they have noticed. 

   So, what they are suggesting we do is start measuring juniors at about age 10.  Measure them the same day of every month.  If you begin to see this type of growth make note of it.  What they have done with players in this European study is to move them back down to the next lowest level of competition.  They do this until they begin to level out over a few month period.

    They have found this helps the player through this adjustment period without loosing their confidence and their desire to compete. 

     While you may not have the opportunity of moving your player back to a lower level you can at least have some evidence from this study with which to educate them about what is happening.  No excuses, just facts of life.

    What I am doing with my players is educate them first and then try to inspire them to work even harder on their short game skills.  This will help them through this period when their full swing skills are diminished.  When they pull out of the growth spurt period and their full swing returns they have a killer short game. 

    This study will be presented later this fall.  I will pass it on when I get it.

Steve Ball

PGA Master Professional

PS--  This information is the result of the Titleist Performance Institute program that I offer.  This is a tour level golf fitness process - great for testing a players flexibility and strength deficiencies.   More at  the

Golf Fitness link on my site.