In terms of purpose or agenda, my last trip to the United States was no different from the ones I made in the past four years. However, perhaps due to the length and the timing of it all, I came home seeing many things differently and this is what I would like to share with you.
There is more than just one association in the US that provides tournaments for junior golfers. These associations have found a way to develop the game by holding competitions throughout the year. Some of the fees though are quite prohibitive.
In a span of just six weeks in the summer, your child, if he chooses, can play in 8 to 10 tournaments. Some are three-day events, some two and there are a few one-day competitions. This could help your child get used to playing competitively while traveling and will give him an early taste of what college golf and the pro circuit are like. The downside of this is that there is also a chance your child could be burned out by the end of the season and not want to play competitively ever again.
It is also quite interesting to note that tournaments held by the United States Golf Association (USGA) offer the lowest tournament fees and are played in some of the best courses. I suppose that it’s because in the US, golf is considered a very popular sport, and so it gets the support it needs from all sectors of the community.
Yes, golf in the US has become more than just a game. It is now an industry.
From the moment a child who plays in the junior circuit becomes eligible to be scouted by college coaches, the pressure begins for the young player and his family. Perhaps this is because for many parents, a golf scholarship could be the best chance their child can get to earning a college degree in a reputable school.
There is also the lure of all that money for those few professional golfers who would make it big. I believe it is due to this that the game seems to have taken on a different meaning for many of the children. It appears that for a lot of the children, playing for the love and fun of it seems to be no longer in the equation.
And sadly, some children have even given in to fudging their scores as a result of the pressure.
Tournament organizers may want to look into how they could stop this from happening. Working hand in hand with parents could be a good place to start.
As a parent, I am also trying to find a healthy balance so that it is not the child who pays the price while he tries to develop his game.
We want him to grow as a golfer but also, more importantly, to become a well rounded person, as well.