The 2023 SOPGA Jr. Golf Creating a Plan for Your Junior webinar was held on January 12, 2023. The goal of this webinar was to provide junior golfers and their parents with insight and strategies for how to create an off-season plan. Winter in Ohio is a challenging time for all golfers, our panel of PGA Professionals shared some great information for how junior golfers can continue to work on their game,prepare for the upcoming golf season, and put together the best schedule for the summer months. Click here to watch the webinar.

Panelists:

  • Chris Yoder, PGA – Director of Youth Instruction at Scioto Country Club.
    • 2022 SOPGA Teacher and Coach of the Year
  • Brad Smith, PGA – Director of Instruction at Heatherwoode Golf Club
    • 2014 and 2020 SOPGA Teacher and Coach of the Year
  • Gene Powell, PGA Master Professional – Director of Instruction at Four Bridges Country Club
    • 2016 SOPGA Teacher and Coach of the Year

Key Takeaways:

“The first thing is to set that plan and put it in writing. Don’t be afraid to put it in writing. I’m a big believer in doing calendars for your offseason plan.Then you can kind of put everything on there, whether it’s your school work, your workouts, hitting golf balls, lessons, even your free time. It is a way to keep yourself more accountable.” – Brad Smith, PGA

“This time of year players tend to have to decide , do I go to the driving range here or do I go to the first tee?’. Go to the first tee even if it’s only for five holes. You’re gonna learn something coming down the stretch on those last few holes, and that you’re gonna be able to carry into a tournament. Juniors have to learn how to play golf, rather than just hit balls.” – Chris Yoder, PGA

“ A couple things that I would say about schedules is pick your majors. Go through a schedule and determine the tournaments that you want to play in for whatever reason that is. Maybe because you love the golf course and you have an opportunity to go play that course, maybe a high school event will be there, or maybe this is one that I know that is gonna get eyeballs from college coaches, whatever that may be picked those major events and plan everything else around it.” – Gene Powell, PGA