By Vip Malixi

Golf is such a rich sport that a touring pro can make a darn good living just winning tournaments in the US, Europe or Japan now and then and making the cut more often than not. Even if you’re not a Tiger Woods or an Annika Sorenstam, if you live in a developing country like the Philippines, you can probably save up a nice nest egg with a career in golf. No wonder that Filipino parents are considering golf as an actual “vocation” for their children as swinging clubs and putting balls seem more financially-rewarding than being a doctor, a lawyer, or an architect.

You need talent, passion and an early start to reach “that” level where you make good enough money though (according to Yahoo Sports, Jennifer Rosales’ career earnings are over $2 million! Frankie Miñoza’s 2007 earnings are already over $100,000!). So if your kid shows signs of exceptional hand-eye coordination and body control, if they can sink balls with that plastic putter as if they were born with it, what’s the next step? What can you do to develop your Mini-Me into a Modern Mickelson? We asked the top Junior Golf teachers survey-getters for their tips and advice: Abe Rosal, Balty Baltazar, Jun Cedo, and Carito Villaroman.

Number one for these Master Yodas is: you have to make it fun. Jun Cedo says it’s important for kids to enjoy mastering the game. “I remember attending golf school and really enjoying it. It was not too technical. Kids must feel it’s just a game, where you meet friends, have fun. You must introduce the hard parts of golf slowly.”

Abe Rosal, who handles champion jungolfers JR Gonzales and Reg de Guzman, said he learned golf without ever feeling it was something imposed on him but rather a rewarding experience. He recalled how he started: “I would go with my father to the driving range and while he practiced, I’d hit balls—without any instruction, no lessons. And then when we finished, I’d look forward to a milkshake and a hamburger. So golf was never something I had to do but something enjoyable.”

Carito Villaroman, who was a champion junior player himself, gives this advice: “Don’t try too hard. Don’t play for anyone else but yourself. As much as possible, enjoy the game.”

Balty Baltazar, who teaches world champion Mia Legaspi, said one should also make sure never to overdo the practice sessions. “If my students complain about feeling pain, I stop the session. Because kids usually complain when it really hurts and it’s important to stop practice before it turns into a long-term injury or burnout, like what might be happening to Michelle Wie now with her wrist.”
To make the game fun for kids, the four coaches say it’s important not to be too hard on them. Balty says, never scold, criticize. “Parents need to understand that it’s very difficult to be good so they shouldn’t over-expect.” He said some parents even curse and humiliate their children because they think the young ones should be able to learn what’s taken even top golfers years to master. Abe Rosal says kids should never feel someone will get angry with them for the way they play. Jun Cedo adds that not all kids are the same, they have different rates of learning so parents and teachers shouldn’t expect them to be always on par with their fellow students. Having seen kids actually slapped and hit by parents, Jun Cedo says this is also a definite no-no adding that kids will also not be able to become really good if their main motivation is for money or getting rich.

Being kids, the golf lessons must also be simple, easy to understand. Abe says some instructors get too technical too early and turn off the kids. As an example of keeping it simple, he says he brings a bucket of water and asks the child to try and swing the bucket to throw the water out—and that’s basically the golf swing. Jun Cedo agrees with this adding that technical teaching should come at a later stage. Kids should first treat golf as a game rather than be filled with too many instructions that it actually interferes with their swing.

Balty also mentions the importance of motivating the child until they gain a passion for the game. Jun Cedo agrees with this, “Sometimes, instead of getting a talented player who’s spoiled and never wants to practice because he feels he’s already good, I’d rather have a student who’s not very talented but works real hard and is driven.” This drive is what separates the also-rans from those who win. All the four coaches agree that one can never be a champion without the combo of talent and passion. Balty says passion is necessary because it is what will motivate kids to put in the effort, the hard work—it cannot come from the parent or teacher. He says, for the child, the passion can start from the child first enjoying being able to hit the ball squarely, seeing the beautiful flight of his ball. Later, when he or she is already good enough, they’ll gain more motivation when they start competing at tournaments and enjoy winning or getting good finishes.

On the importance of playing actual matches, Carito Villaroman adds: “Competition actually tells you where your game is, what part of the game you need to practice: whether physical, mental or fundamental.” He teaches his students not to feel that tournaments are just for the prizes but also as really good learning experiences where one can find out how other players handle the game and what they need to work on with their own skill set.

On technical matters, Jun Cedo says if one can afford it, the parent should provide the child with the best teachers and equipment. Balty says it’s very important to get an instructor who teaches the proper fundamentals rather than trying to teach the child the instructor’s own swing style. “It’s important to get a teacher whose teachings are grounded on sound and proven principles rather than ‘guesstimates’.”

Carito adds, aside from the fundamentals, it’s also important to teach the mental and physical (flexibility and strengthening) aspects of the game. Regarding golf psychology, Carito says it’s important for kids to learn to stay in the present. “I have Dr. David Wright as my sports psychologist,” says Carito, who helps him teach kids the mental nuances of the game. “Golf is not just talent, you also need the proper frame of mind.”

This is where parental involvement is very positive, when they provide kids very good support: they try to attend practice sessions, give them encouragement, give their kids positive feedback, try to save up to send them to camps and tournaments abroad. If they can’t afford the best instructors all the time, they can try to reduce the number of sessions, insisting their kids always get the best teachers. Abe says it’s very important to get the parents involved. Balty reminds us that most world champions have a dad or a mom who are very important in getting them to love the game.

Now if you’re starting to think that turning your kids into champs is all hard work. Abe says kids actually learn to master the game better than adults. “If I tell a child that by next Tuesday they need to do some drills, by next Tuesday they have done the drills. When I tell parents who are also receiving instruction from me to do the drills, they usually end up not doing them because they feel exempt.” Jun Cedo adds, “Old guys know so much they don’t want to change while kids absorb what they learn, they’re willing to try it, give it a chance. Their minds are open to knowledge. Kids are not scared to try.”

Published on the October-November 2007 issue of Golf Digest Philippines