Golf for the younger generation

Feb 11 2011 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A NEW golf class for really young boys and girls is now available each week at Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth.

North Inch golf professional Colin Roberts, from Errol, has teed-up a one-hour classes on Thursday afternoons where children from the age of four to eight can get to grips with the basics of golf.

Kids don’t need previous experience of golf and all the equipment is provided.

Colin’s teaching programme and golf equipment is based on the SNAG (Start Now at Golf) system.

This includes light weight plastic golf clubs with oversize heads that allow very young children to putt, pitch and swing a club.

They use tennis balls indoors and smaller golf sized tennis balls outdoors.

Colin said: “With this programme they are already learning the basics of golf and my teaching system encourages them to count their score.”

The sessions are structured on fun-based games and activities using first-touch equipment with specially designed targets.

The programme is simple to follow and the children learn a number of new skills quickly, with the emphasis on fun and games.

They will progress on to the next level on the North Inch short game area where they will use real clubs and balls. When they become more proficient, the youngsters will play shortened holes on the golf course.

Colin explained: “Children of this age group only need four clubs and a pencil bag and I will eventually be taking them on to the golf course to play four holes. They are learning the rules of golf and my teaching system encourages them to count their score.”

Kerr Smith, operations manager at Bells Sports Centre, is supportive of this programme and, if there is sufficient demand, Colin will hold classes at other centres in Perthshire operated by Live Active Leisure.

Any parent, or grandparent, is welcome to bring children along between 4 and 5pm on Thursday afternoons to see how much enjoyment they can get out of learning to play golf.

Colin Roberts can also be contacted on 0793 370 4447.