Masters.org: "Share Your Ideas"

[Matt_Cohn]

http://www.masters.org/ggw/en/index.html

Thoughts?

[John Kavanaugh]

I would be nice if there was one idea that did not include getting a discount.  How about requiring young people who want to make a career as a PGA teaching pro do a number of hours of community service teaching juniors instead of forcing them to pony up thousands of dollars on classes.  I don't understand why the PGA needs so much jack when these guys are making squat.

[JohnV]

John,

Here in Northern California we have a program where PGA Assistants can earn points towards their Class A license by working with high school golf teams.

Along with the NCGA's Youth On Course program where kids can play over 70 courses for an average of $2.00, free range balls and lessons, free memberships in the NCGA for anyone on a high school team and one of the least expensive Junior Golf Tours in the country we are doing as much as we can to promote kids golf.

All associations and courses should do as much or more.  The kids are the future for golf.

[Dean Stokes]

Anything that encourages Junior golf, but particualrly the learning of the rules and etiquette can only be good for this game. Perhaps they can also come up with some of these programs for adults.

[Adam Clayman]

I'll tell you what. It is going to be a tough road to hoe to get a lot of kids interested.

 Good to the NCGA doing everything possible, especially on the cost side.

One of the problems I'm having, in my first stint around high school golf, is coming up with interesting drills or games, during practice, for the kids to play.
If anyone has any good ideas for the above, or, on how to get high school kids to take golf practice more seriously, I'm all ears.

[Brian_Sleeman]

Adam: sending you a private message with some drill ideas for practice.  I'm also in my first season as a high school coach but have some decent experience with junior instruction.

I'm all for Mr. Kavanaugh's idea - I get it that the PGA wants to weed out those who aren't serious about a commitment to the career, but is assigning a lot of busy-work and asking for large amounts of money (checkpoints will cost you about $2,000 each, not including each level's texts and materials) the only way to go?

[JESII]

Adam,

If you have somewhere that they can hit alot of wedge shots, take a trash can or bucket out to the yardage-of-the-day and let them have at it.