Guest's Wisdom - Raising Golfers Golf Academy

Episode #51 Dave Malone on Building Confidence in Juniors

“Be sincere when giving praise to children.”
“Let children make many of the decisions.”
“Help children prepare.”
“First question I encourage adults to ask children is: Are you proud of how you handled yourself today?”
“The real mistake, is not the mistake, it is not learning from the mistake.”
“Sometimes in order to gain control you have to give up control.”

Episode #45 Travis on Play and Fun

“Golf is a game and games are supposed to be fun.”
“My goal is the be able to play golf with my family for the rest of our lives.”
“Have fun now, so you continue to have fun along the way.”

Episode #44 Tim Kremer on Beliefs and Emotions

“Whatever we are giving attention to inside the mind, is what takes place.”
“What we believe is what we are about to see.”
“We have to find a way to believe, in spite of results.”
“Without rules, there isn’t a game.”
“As silly as it seems, just have fun!”
“If we keep the mind and the body in a positive place we stand a much better chance.”
“Fun gets a bad rap.”
“Fun does not mean a lack of focus.”
“Get your emotions very stable and out in front of performance.”
“The body cannot tense up on its own without a resistance thought.”
“Awareness is huge, and it is key.”

Episode #43 Dr. Beth Brown on Life Lessons Through Sports

“What are you like when you play your best?”
“How do you prepare when you play your best?”
“Rate fun, effort and focus.”
“Bridge to Life.”
“We have to ask ourselves what our goals are for our kids.”
“if you don’t try something new, then you can never take the next step, increasing confidence and awareness”
“Adults put on your kid hat, think about what is fun for kids.”
“Create an experience that they are going to enjoy, and there is no right or wrong in that.”

Episode #42 Joshua Kinchen on Junior Golf Equipment

“If it doesn’t fit, they just may quit!”
“Adult club heads have a center of gravity more forward and higher making balls launch lower with less spin.”
“Lighter is always faster.”
“The softer compression the golf ball is the high it will launch and less amount of spin.”

Episode #41 Nicole Weller on Preschoolers

“It is important that kids get to explore life and explore life through golf.”
“It’s like guided discovery more than lesson structure.”
“Provide a lot of activities that allow free play.”
“Let kids be kids and provide guided exploration, to allow them to discover.”
“We are providing them near golf experiences.”
“If we can have kids understand emotional management at an early stage, imagine what they will be like at age 20.”

Episode #40 Travis’ Letter to Parents

“Thank you parents for all that you do.”
“If you are reading this, you are working hard to be the best golf parent or coach you can for your junior golfers, great job!”
“Let’s be patient.”
“There is time.”
“Remember every child progresses at different rates.”
“Lets remember they are children.”

Episode #39 Jim Hardy on Adapting to Junior Golfers

“We make golf fun enough, long enough, so the kids can’t get enough.”
“They are learning to play golf, without realizing that they are learning to play golf.”
“When teaching lightly, I’ll have them say it with me and do it with me.”
“Playing games is a guided discovery.”
“Children are progressional learners.”
“We try to create a fun and purposeful environment.”
“If a child burns out in any sport, there is an adult involved.”
“When kids are having fun, they practice harder.”

Episode #38 Lynn Marriott & Pia Nilsson on Human Skills

“With juniors you are going to see swing changes as their bodies change.”
“We are not here to tell you what to do, we are going to give you lots of exercises to explore.”
“If you don’t know what to practice or have a plan, it is hard to get better.”
“Keep notes on what you did well.”
“Every player has a unique way to play great.”
“Getting you body, mind and emotion in the correct state is more important than how you hit it.”
“Parents and juniors have to separate who you are from what you do.”
“Parents have awesome intentions.”
“Do your best on every shot and enjoy whatever happens.”

Episode #37 Rich O’Brien on Growing the Game

“When kids see other kids playing golf, they think they can do it too, its a beautiful thing.”
“I use golf as therapy.”
“You play better golf when you walk.”
“The best players in the world benefit from a good mental attitude and being their best friend on the golf course.”
“Parents can be great caddies and encouragers.”
“Parents can help create an environment of fun.”
“Always be encouraging and go out and have fun.”
“When looking for a new golf program, parents should talk to other parents.”
“Where kids are having fun, those programs grow.”
“The game of golf should be fun at all times.”
“When a child does not do well, it’s a learning experience.”

Episode #36 Josh Nichols on The Mental Game

“Everyone wants to play the game better.”
“I think the mental game can benefit everyone, if only for the benefit of enjoying the game more.”
“Lets let the kids have their versions of self discovery and their version of making mistakes.”
“As a coach I need to tell less and ask more.”
“It all comes down to work ethic.”
“Me building my self image in golf made me a better person.”
“Just trust that you may not reach your goal when you want to, but you will eventually.”

Episode #35 Alana Uriell on the LPGA Tour

“I never felt pressure, or it never felt like a job, it was always light hearted.”
“I always looked up to the girls on TV, like Annika, and Michelle Wie.”
“There is no, one size fits all for golf.”
“I was a late bloomer and didn’t get recruited to top schools like other players.”
“When you are in the moment, you just have to take it one shot at a time.”
“I just thought, let me focus on what I can control, that really got me through the tough times.”
“Always say yes to opportunity.”

Episode #34 Richard Stamper on Junior Golf Clubs

“Make sure they have proper equipment.”
“Jim Furyk’s swing is in part to having in proper junior golf clubs.”
“Let them play and have fun.”
“You can learn a lot watching good golf swings.”
“Most of the time there is a correlation between their height and their strength.”
“Golf Professionals in the golf shop play a central role in the game.”
“Make sure you have proper equipment, but just let them play.”
“If I had to do if over again, I’d probably take lessons.”

Episode #33 Neil Plimmer on a Junior Golf Framework

“Children at certain ages and stages are going to need adults around.”
“Every single child is unique, they learn in different ways, they have different experiences.”
“We all children to become independent golfers.”
“I hate labels, the only label we should have is our name.”
“At anytime an player can transition back to being a golfer.”
“Your favorite teachers aren’t what they taught you, but how they made you feel.”
“Experiences first, do stuff that children and parents are going to remember, having meaningful, rich life experiences.”

Episode #32 Jonathan Ochoa on Different Methodologies of Teaching

“I really try to emphasis growth mindset in my teaching.”
“The more ways you can move your body the better.”
“You learn a lot faster playing on the golf course.”
“I had my students draw a picture of Tiger Woods hitting a shot, then asked them to try and mimic their drawings on the course.”
“I have requirements that all children can perform human movements, including, running, jumping, throwing, kicking, etc.”
“Martial arts is great for discipline and self control.”
“Encourage whatever activity they like.”
“Go play with your kids and get dirty!”

Episode #31 Dave Malone on Junior Golf

“It used to think the new coach would coach the beginners, and now I want the most experienced coach, coaching the beginner and juniors.”
“Parents have a huge impact on their child’s desire to play golf.”
“You’d like to develop a love for the game first, and then see them improve.”
“Golf 12 months out of the year could lead to burnout.”
“You always want to stay a student, anything we do, we can always learn.”
“They won’t get better if they are already convinced they are the best.”
“Let’s not lose our patience with this, let’s gain more patience.”
“You gotta praise the effort, not the result.”
“Sometimes when you lose, you win, and believe it or not, sometimes when you win, you lose.”
“Get around somebody who wants the best for you.”
“The magic words are, I love watching you play golf.”

Episode #30 Just me on the the upcoming golf season

“Its not our game, it is theirs, and when they are ready, they are ready and they will let us know.”
“Playing golf along side children is huge, they can watch you, they can see what you are doing, they can see how much you enjoy it.”
“Children are brilliant and can mimic anything.”
“It’s ok if children take a break.”
“Just remember it is their game, when they’re ready, they’ll let you us know.”

Episode #29 Cabdirashid Xuseen on Raising Six Golfers

“We limited ourselves to education, family, and golf.”
“The older ones are teaching the younger ones, and it is a great way for them all to learn.”
“I don’t tell them, this is who you need to be or what you need to be, let’s first get to college.”
“If you live in America, there is a golden opportunity.”
“You have to have motivation to help them achieve.”
“You have to let it all go, and be in the moment.”
If you decide on something and have intention, you stick to it, there is always a way it will open doors for you.”
“Everything is possible.”
“Don’t give up, things will get easier and easier.”
“Youth on Course golf program, that is a program I really want parents to know.”
It’s a fine line that you just have to let it go, be in the moment. Let them hit that first tee shot and everything will open up.”

Episode #28 Michelle Holmes on Playing Forever

“Children are keen learners, especially if we are teaching them the way they know how to learn.”
“We cannot succeed in this game if we are playing in fear.”
“The golf course is your greatest teacher.”
“It is all about showing up prepared.”
“A young child doesn’t have a mental game, you are their mental game.” (When speaking to adults)
“I’m a big fan of letting children create their own games.”

Episode #27 Kimberly Liu on Golf and Life

“That kind of nurturing environment is so much more important and it helps build some independence.” (Speaking about how her parents raised her)
“I love the game, I still love the game, I’ve always loved the game.”
“My coach showed me how to handle failure, and how to handle success.”
“Failure doesn’t define you.”
“College golf is a grind, so be on top of your stuff.”
“Learn to enjoy the game.”
“Be purposeful about practice.”
“Sometimes the bad rounds are indicative of what you need to be working on.”
“Develop children’s love for the game and as people.”

Episode #26 Michael Hebron on Learning

“Learning is a survival skill.”
“We are designed to succeed.”
“Teaching environments have an end goal, where learning environments are open ended.”
“We aren’t coaching the person, we are coaching their past experiences.”
“Consistency doesn’t exist, nobody on the first tee can tell you what they are going to shoot.”
“You can’t control the outcome of the shot, it’s impossible.”
“Balance, timing and rhythm looks ok.”
“The brain stores information by categories, it retrieves information by differences.”
“Everything we do has an emotional component.”
“Motivating someone is supporting their needs.”
Raise children with a moral compass, support self discovery skills and tell them you love them everyday.”
“Play stands for Powerful Learning About Yourself.”

Episode #25 Emily and Alan Chin on their Division 1 Golfer

“He loved playing with friends.”
“The parents loved dropping their kids off at the course, it was a safe environment and the kids loved being there.”
“The main thing as parents is, you have to trust the process.”
“If we had to do it over again, maybe we would have done a few things differently, but we did what felt right.”
“You’re all in as parents and you are taking up a lot of your time and resources, a lot of parents just give up everything for them.”
“At some point we realized that the parents can’t be the drivers of this, it has to be all driven from the golfers themselves.”
“As parents we can make the process harder on them, easier on them, but in the long run, it is still all them.”
“When the kids are young, the parents are more result oriented than the kids and as a parent you have to learn to back off.”
“We have just learned to embrace that grind, because the victories you have become more sweet.”
“You are making memories that are going to last everyone a life time, why make them bad, just enjoy the process.”
“Having good teammates, pushes him to be a better player and golfer.”

Episode #24 Neil Plimmer on Embracing the Process

“There is no rush to childhood, childhood is something to be lived.”
“I wonder when there is a tangible goal, that is when the ticking clock starts?”
“Maybe orientated takes use away from the present moment.”
“Do little things regularly rather than trying to do big things irregularly.”

Episode #23 Roy Ellis on Technology

“Golf is a social activity, it is supposed to be fun.”
“Go to the sessions and talk to other parents, find out what it is about that coach that they like.”
“Technology has a place, but it isn’t necessary,”
“I try to link technology around things we have been doing, like strike.”
“I wouldn’t have two children on a launch monitor for an hour.”
“How many different ways can you use that tool (club) to get the job done.”
“The question is, how much does the technology used, represent the game of golf?”
“We want to create positive experiences with technology, but we don’t want to put them off when they start comparing themselves to others.”
“The three things I have in the back of mind to play the game of golf efficiently is, how high, how far and which direction, and the use of technology can help understand that.”

Episode #22 Gavin Grenville-Wood on Failure

“Failure is a tool to take steps forward, not to dwell on and think about what you did wrong.”
“Focus on hitting the ball from point A to B without any influence on emotion.”
“Failure is only failure if you don’t take steps to learn from it.”
“One of the traits that I want to establish for 5-12 year olds is responsibility.”
“You can’t perfect golf.”
“The best way to deal with failure, is to be prepared for it, ready for battle.”
“We shouldn’t be so concerned about what the kids succeed at tomorrow.”
“The tournament you play tomorrow doesn’t define who you are.”
“If you get knocked over, what are you going to do, give up? No, get up, dust yourself off and put one foot in front of the other.”
“If you don’t allow them the freedom to fail, then they won’t get any better.”

Episode #21 Neil and Travis on Raising Golfers

“Positively influence” – Neil
“Adults role is so important, yet so delicate.” – Travis
“We are all human.” – Travis
“If you get a negative response, there is a learning opportunity there.” – Neil
“Find somebody with a mutual connect, and just chat.” – Neil
“After people listen to your series (the first 20 episodes) they are going to be in a different space than when they started.” – Neil
“The developmental stage between ages 13-17 is huge.” – Travis
“Who you are today doesn’t determine who you are.” -Travis
“Just because someone is better than you now, doesn’t mean they will always be better than you.” -Travis
“Surround yourself with likeminded people.” – Travis

Episode #20 Neil Plimmer on Environment and Community

“Everyone needs to feel safe, physically safe, emotionally safe, and socially safe.” – Neil
“If people feel safe and cared for they are going to have autonomy in their decisions they make.” -Neil
“When new children come to our sessions I will always pair them with another child that has experience and personal skills to be able to connect with them.” – Neil
“Parents, if you want to do good, get involved.” -Neil
“The power of golf is within the environment and community involved.” – Neil
“Present them with an environment and an opportunity to join a community that will enjoy and come back time and time again.” – Neil
“Offering and allowing children to make choices in an unbelievably strong thing.” – Neil
“Children are brilliant, they are born brilliant.” – Neil
“There is a big difference better the words, should, could, need and must.(when speaking about how to help your children)” – Neil
“There is no rush.” – Neil
“Regularly reflect on your values.” – Travis
“Think about your original why.” – Travis
“If we give our children an opportunity to play with lots of different people in lots of different places, we wouldn’t be going too far wrong.” – Neil

Episode #19 Alexis Hayes, former college golfer and golf professional

“When you are told you can’t do something, it sparks a little growth and raises your maturity level.”
“There isn’t a timeline on when you need to be successful.”
“They have to be ready themselves.” (When speaking about wanting to score)
“Practicing felt like a chore and 11,12,13 year olds don’t like doing chores.”
“If your kid doesn’t want to do golf, then give them something else to do.
“A kid isn’t going to grow up and in ten years time love the game if they are forced to do it.”
“If you are meant to be somewhere a coach will reach out.”

Episode #18 David and Jennifer McLaren, parents of Liam McLaren

“You can’t control what the other kids (competitors) do.”
“Where he loses he is going to find the most lessons.”
“Its ok to lose.”
“We always focus on the fun.”
“You have to learn how to lose graciously”
“You have to support your competitors in their wins because you will want them to do the same to you when you win.”
“You have to learn from your mistakes.”
“Whats the most important shot? The next one.”
“When they aren’t doing well in a tournament, you want to run out onto the green give them a hug and rescue them, but you can’t.”
“Ask for help when needed, but be confident in yourself that you can do it.”
“It is so hard as a parent to watch.” (about the ups and downs your kid goes through in golf)
“Nobody says he has to be Rory, but he has to be Liam.”
“My expectation of him is that he keeps doing something that he wants to do, and loves to do.”

Episode #17 Neil Plimmer and Travis Howser

“We are all winning, and if we aren’t winning we are learning and if we are learning we are winning.” – Neil
“You have to always go back to your values.” – Travis
“When you observe play and see it in its natural way, you realize winning is not the be all end all.” – Neil
“As adults we need to ask more questions to the kids.” – Travis
“Winning will look different for everybody.” -Neil
“There is a time and place for winning.” – Travis
“We have to ask them (children), what does winning, look like and feel like to them?” – Neil
“You should think about what culture your child is surrounded with, in the game of golf, and do those values align with what you want for your children.” – Travis
“Its not about who wins, its about who’s the best at getting better.” – Neil
“I’ve got a belief that children do not cheat.” – Neil
“Its important for me to not impose my view on the world to my kids, they need to find that out themselves.” – Neil
“As a parent its important to understand why winning is important to your child.” – Travis
“What are your values as an adult on winning?” – Neil
“This conversation about winning might come up with your children, but it doesn’t have to be today or tomorrow at 6 years old, it can be later on.” – Travis
“Children would enjoy being competitive and winning if is on their terms.” – Neil
“Parents…play along side and model those good values.” – Neil
“Winning should be more towards the intrinsic stuff rather than the extrinsic stuff that we’re no in control of…at the stage of 4-11 year olds just getting started.” – Neil

Episode #16 Shreyas Yadav – Amateur golfer from rural India

“If I practice with full dedication, this practice will give me full advantage on the course.”
“I never look at the trouble on the course, only the fairways and greens.”
“There are two people in this world, the first are like helicopters, the second like airplanes.”
“The three elements of positivity are our work, karma and positive thinking.”
“Don’t get affected by things that are happening around you, stay dedicated.”
“Make yourself mentally strong.”
“If your mind is not disturbed you can play a very good round of golf.”
“When I go practice, I hit every club half shot, three quarter, then full shot so distance control practice is there.”

Episode #15 Richard Franklin – Founder of DiscoverGolf

“Play is serious.”
“Humans are seeking pleasure and avoiding pain.”
“There is no human being that doesn’t want to get better at life.”
“Games are some of the most amazing things, once you start digging into it.”
“It’s the anticipation of rewards that spikes dopamine.”
“Support them in their endeavor to do the thing that they like doing the most.
“Being an ardent supporter of environments that make your kids curious and independent.”
“Let the joy of play meander in its own course and just love every minute of it.”
“States before traits, always.”

Episode #14 Euan McIntyre – Author of Gregor the Golf Ball

“As a parent, try to keep everything as positive as possible to keep your kid as relaxed as possible.”
“Curiosity sparks imagination.”
“We have to adapt the teaching style to the child’s learning style.”
“If a child does 5 things wrong but 2 things right, praise what they did well.”
“You have to actively encourage while showing support.”
“Everything that you are experiencing, is exactly the same as everyone else who has played golf.”
“Make it a fun learning environment for everyone and they will pick things up better.”
“Having small attainable targets are very helpful.”

Episode #13 Nicole Katz – Mother of Asher Katz

“It’s such a great sport to share with your children.”
“At the end of the day it is so important that this is a sport they are going to play forever.”
“The caddie model at a young age can be harmful because it doesn’t allow them (children) to make mistakes.”
“Let them play their own game.”
“That is the hardest thing as a parent, is to always check yourself.”
“I’ve learned to be much more supportive when things don’t go right.”
“It’s not about what did you shoot, it’s about did you have fun.”
“It’s so important to play a team sport at a young age.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes for him to continue to enjoy it.”
“After a poor tournament result, let the kids start the conversation if they want to, not you as a parent.”
“As a parent, don’t have any expectations for you kids at such a young age.”
“The most successful golfers these days are the ones who played a number of sports.”
“I wouldn’t recommend having kids specialize too early.”
“You can’t compare your kids to other kids.”
“70% of the sport is mental.”
“Kids are too afraid to fail, and that will harm them in life if they don’t learn that early enough.”
“Your child’s game will take an enormous improvement if you let them play their own game.”

Episode #12 David Emerick – Golf Coach at Goat Hill Park

“Fun is three things, love what you are doing, who you are doing it with, and where you are doing it.”
“The team starts with the parents.”
“Part of the fun in golf is trying to grind it out.”
“You have to set a personal par when you play golf.”
“It’s not that you beat Johnny, it’s that you played better on the course.”
“Never try to play against another person.”
“Support the desire.”
“Encourage participation.”
“School is more important than golf.”
“I try to keep the caddie motto of show up and shut up.”

Episode #11 Alexis Keating – D1 College Golf

“My parents did everything they could to support me and reach my goals at a young age.”
“My parents encouraged me to dream big and follow them.”
“Stay true to who you are and what is going to make you successful.”
“Butterflies are good if you use them in the right way.”
“My parents always kept it fun for me.”
“I never got any pressure from my parents that I had to play well.”
“When you go on recruitment trips, it’s not just them checking you out, it’s you checking them out as well.”
“I was very upfront with schools that I still wanted to be able to send my golf coach swing videos and ask for advice from him.”
“There is a lot you have to take in in a short period of time when you first start at college.”
“It’s ok to not be ok if you are struggling and you should seek help.”
“You can learn something from anyone and everyone.”
“You have to be upfront with your school professors and have open lines of communication.”
“Golf is not something to be done by yourself.”

Episode #10 Neil Plimmer – JOLF

“The game of golf is setup perfectly to play together as a family.”
“Follow the lead of the child.”
“Let children be in control of their learning.”
“Parents know more than they give themselves credit for.”
“Trying to give help when help is not needed, doesn’t help”
“Golf is a sport, it is ok to be rubbish at.”
“If we do a good enough job giving them opportunities to play in lots of different ways, they’ll find their own best way.”
“As parents we are trying to do the best we can without a rulebook.”
“As we starting children what to do, they become too reliant on it.”
“Finding more opportunities to play alongside your children is very important.”
“We want to empower parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles to go and play with children.”
“Children need to do more than they need to know.”

Episode #9 Miguel Perez – Father of Xeve Perez

“Don’t try to force any sport on your kid, let them pick whatever they want to do and them support them 100%.”
“Don’t put your personal dreams on your kids.”

Episode #8 Maria Castellucci and Jason Voughts- Kiddie Kaddie

“Let the youth lead the conversation. Let them make that choice.” -Maria
“Be a support for them, let them know that you are there for them no matter what happens if they succeed or fail.” -Maria
“Your love for them is not going to change based on a golf score.” -Maria
“Think positive, let them play and enjoy the game. Try not to put too much pressure on the them.” -Jason

Episode #7 Kate Tempesta – Birdie Basics

“Childhood isn’t something we need to rush through to get to the other side.”
“What’s going on socially, emotionally and cognitively in their world when they come to a lesson.”
“Children want to be heard.”
“If you can craft that whole child learning environment you can start them young.”
“Multi-sensory experiences light up the brain.”
“We want children to walk away feeling empowered.”
“Play is serious work of children” – Fred Rodgers

Episode #6 Gavin Grenville Wood

“Trust that your kids are going to make mistakes and that’s ok.”
“Being responsible to back up what the coach is doing for your kids.”
“Kids need to assume more responsibility for their own progress.”
“Kids need to understand what they did wrong and what they need to do and bringing in their parent and coach to help.”
“You don’t have to gauge success by your where your kids are at at 19-20 years old.”
“Great moments are born from opportunity!”
“Don’t live your life through your kids.”
“Let the kids steer the conversation.”
“Let them motivate their own development.”
“Let the kids be the kids.”
“The freaks of nature, those that were so good at a young age, Spieth, Sergio, Woods are not the model.”
“Parents can either sparkle or spoil the development process.”

Episode #5 Steven Yellin – Simplicity

“You should access what you already own.”
“Accessing the processes that allow them to swing.”
“You have to culture the mind to be abstract.”
“Fear blocks the mind from accessing deeper levels of wholeness.”
Five reasons why athletes have fear

– Fear of Failure
– Fear of Success
– Not comfortable in your own skin
– Not worthy
– Playing for somebody else

“Believe in yourself, doubt kills.”
“Don’t think your swing has to be perfect to play good golf.”
“Processes in the mind control the swing.”
“If you have a good swing, muscle memory doesn’t break down…You should be practicing accessing what you already own.”
“The target is not your friend, the target is your enemy…Your alignment is going to dictate where you hit the ball, not the target.”

Episode #4 Hayden Hui – D2 College Golf

“No matter what, keep fighting for what you dream of.”
“Never stop working hard, because you never know what opportunities you’re going to have in the future.”

Episode #3 Chris Oetinger – Head Golf Coach

“When you have a good team around you you’re more likely to have your emotions in check.”

Episode #2 Matt Reagan – Op 36

“You can get beginner golfers on the course from day one.”
“It’s long term development, this is a ten year plan.”
“It’s very difficult to talk about today and tomorrow if you don’t have a long term plan in place.”
“To keep kids interested in golf, they need to have fun and they need to know where they are heading.”
“What you really want, is to be able to play golf with your child for the rest of your life.”

Episode #1 Tom Hefford – Golf Cubs

“Childhood goes in the blink of an eye and children and parents should enjoy it!”
“Children are the bi-product of their parents, what you put in, is what you get out.”
“There is no blue print or manual on how to raise your children.”
“Parents should never stop learning.”
“The words “silent” and “listen” are made up of the same letters. Stay silent, listen to your children.”
“Never stop enjoying the process.”
“Let practice and play be creative and let kids imagination flourish.”

Guest’s Wisdom