PLAY TO COMPETE
Boys 16-23 // Girls 15-21
OBJECTIVES:
Establish and implement programs to ensure the technical, tactical and supporting ancillary skills of the individual player are improved to meet current and future competitive expectations.
PLAY TO COMPETE CHECKLIST:
✔ Provide year-round, high intensity, and individual training.
✔ Teach golfers, who are now proficient at performing basic and sport-specific skills, to perform those skills under a variety of competitive conditions during training.
✔ Place special emphasis on optimum preparation by modeling competitions in training.
✔ Individually tailor fitness programs, recovery programs, psychological preparation and technical development.
✔ Emphasize individual preparation that addresses each golfer’s individual strengths and weaknesses.
✔ Select golf or recommended two sports to specialize with the other being complementary
✔ Change the training-to-competition and competition-specific training ratio to 40:60.
✔ Devote 40 percent of available time to the development of technical and tactical skills and improving fitness, and 60 percent to competition- specific training and actual competitions.
NOTE: MOST SHOULD TRANSITION INTO A GOLF FOR LIFE STREAM AT THIS AGE AND STAGE.
PLAY TO COMPETE GOLFER DEVELOPMENT#
ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT
Agility, footwork, dynamic balance, strength, endurance, speed, plyometric/power and flexibility. A well designed and individualized annual plan should be developed at this stage in conjunction with a fitness expert. As frequency of playing and practicing increases, it is important to monitor for overuse injuries and mental burnout.
TECHNICAL (SKILLS) DEVELOPMENT
Repetition of fundamental skills, curbing bad habits, innovating, tweaking and fine tuning. Mastering skills. Performance benchmarks are set at this stage.
PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
Self-defined enjoyment and participation in the sport.
Willingness to be flexible and try new things, accepting responsibility, respect, making good choices, leadership skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills and mental toughness. Long-term goal setting and incremental steps to get there.
SOCIAL-BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT
Seeking independence without needing to ask permission all the time. Developing logical and deductive reasoning. Self-image is stabilizing but peers are very influential. Opportunity to explore and experiment within sport activity is important. Healthy adult/mentor relationships are beneficial.
PRACTICE
32-42 weeks a year. 30-40 hours per week. Three to four hour practice session with 40% putting, 20% short game, 40% long game. Practice schedule should be reviewed and monitored via coach.
COMPETITION
Personalized competition plan based on periodization. At least one annual review of performance with the coach, as well as a competition planning session.
EQUIPMENT
Custom fit equipment at this stage becomes the norm
WHERE TO PLAY
Males up to 7,200 yards. Females up to 6,400 yards. See appendix.
WHAT A PARENT SHOULD KNOW
A competitive athlete's schedule becomes all-consuming and it’s important for the parents to create a family environment for the entire family (child and siblings). As an athlete at this stage becomes more independent and more capable; parents can play a more passive role and offer guidance and support throughout. The parent becomes a support vehicle for the coach and to make sure the athlete is following the proper regimen.
