Published on 30th Nov 2024
With the rise of custom-fitting in the adult game, the increasing number of clubhead and shaft options, passing clubs down through the generations has become even more challenging.
In this article, we highlight how adult and junior golf clubs are drifting further apart and the importance of junior players having access to clubs that suit their developmental needs.
Juniors don't need 14 clubs to start playing
One of the most striking differences between the adult and junior games is the need for more golf clubs.
In the adult game, club yardage gapping is a significant factor in a successful round of golf. Having a shot for every yardage is vital to getting closer to the pin and lowering your score. However, in the junior game it is perhaps more important to learn the technique behind shaping shots, and how to manufacture a swing to hit the ball different yardages is something learned with progression.
Most juniors will begin with just a few clubs or a half-set, generally consisting of a Driver or Fairway wood, a selection of Irons and a Putter, giving them all the basics in a handy carry bag with room to add a bigger range of clubs as they progress and get more into golf.
As juniors grow quickly and may require bigger clubs within the same year - pricing becomes a consideration for parents and guardians - the affordability of MKids and Golfway Champion is key. More importantly, the following points highlight why 'cutting-down' adult clubs is far from ideal for a junior players development...
Player height and speed
In the adult game, custom fitting focuses on two main areas - player height and club head speed. These two factors will largely dictate the makeup of the golf club from the club head lie angle, shaft flex and club length. While some factors like gender can come into the club build thought process, this is less important in junior golf club selection.
Adult clubs, when 'cut down' to fit a child, will be far from optimal and will likely hamper the juniors' playing style and compromise the development their technique.
Weight
As a general rule, adults are stronger than children, which lends to the fact that adult golf clubs are heavier. This difference is also notable in women's golf clubs, with most stock shafts being lighter than male equivalents.
Therefore, 'cutting-down' clubs will compromise the head weight and shaft balance - making it much harder for a junior player to judge their shots, be consistent and develop correct technique.
Engineered for different mechanics
Research and development (R&D) in golf is bigger than ever before, and the off-the-shelf adult clubs are almost a thing of the past. Most brands now offer golf clubs with multiple options within the same range, allowing them to target 3 or 4 types of golfers with the same release. These different configurations and variations make the clubs even more personal to the adult player and widen the gap between adult and junior clubs even more.
Take the Driver, for example; many brands will now offer 3+ different club head options. Low-spin, high-spin and draw biased are all commonplace in the adult game and are designed specifically for the individual golfer. Children's golf clubs are more 'standardised' by design, allowing the junior player to develop from a neutral setting before introducing custom fitting.
The dangers of poorly fitted junior golf clubs
When children begin their golf journey with clubs that are incorrect for them, it can have significant effects on their enjoyment of the game, technique and physical development as they grow.
Clubs that are too long
If a golf club is too long, the club's swing weight will not suit the player, leading to them being unable to swing the club correctly; this is known as off-plane. While this will make it harder for the player to return the club back to the call and achieve consistent results, it can also affect physical development with the wrong muscle groups used to swing the club, potentially causing injury.
Clubs that are the wrong lie angle
Human instinct is to change how we do things to deliver the best outcome, this is the same in golf. If the lie angle of a club is incorrect for a player, this will likely cause the ball to move in a certain direction (left or right) more often.
The natural reaction is for the golfer to change their swing and body position at impact to counteract this issue. While solving a short-term problem, this can lead to bad habits and technique in the golf swing that are hard to overcome in future years, and much like clubs that are too long, this can also cause injury.
Hamper development and longevity
As any golfer will tell you, the game is hard enough without making it harder. Alongside this, the biggest reason that juniors quit playing sport is they no longer find it fun. Giving kids golf clubs that make the game harder will slow down their development and the success they can see.
Therefore, it's super important to give children the best possible golf clubs, within a budget, to provide them with the best possible chance of success and overall enjoyment!
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