PMG Junior Academy

A child can enroll when they are 6 years old. Following the long-term athletic development model, ages 0–6 are best spent learning fundamental gross motor and movement skills including running, jumping, twisting, kicking, throwing, and catching. Receiving coaching prior to developing coordination skills does not set the child up for long-term success with the game.

There are 10 levels on the player pathway.

Each level is unique to a child's developmental stage. Each level includes the achievement skills needed to both play the game and compete at their desired level. It is not a race to the finish. New Player Evaluations are held prior to the start of each new semester. If a child is brand new to the game they will begin in Level 1. Tournament scores will need to be provided to join the Play to Compete or Elite Junior Level.

To progress through each level, players earn five achievements: putting, around the green (chipping, pitching, and sand), full swing, knowledge, and scoring.

Classes in the Academy are based on a player's Player Pathway level: FUN-Damentals follows levels 1–3; Train to Play follows levels 4–5; Play to Compete follows levels 6–10.

For levels 1–3, scoring pins are earned during Academy training. Once a player reaches level 4, scoring pins must be earned through 9 holes of play with other Academy members from appropriate yardages, or from tournament play.

Unfortunately, we cannot offer make-up classes — this allows us to maintain our coach-to-student ratio and continue progression along our curriculum.

Levels 4 and 5 scoring is done from our Academy tees, and Levels 6+ are played from age-appropriate tees. When a player graduates from level 5, they will have all the knowledge and skills to be a golfer for life. If they want to pursue golf and specialize, they continue on our Play to Compete program, which requires a higher level of commitment.

Private lessons can be a beneficial addition to a child's Academy training if the player is committed to improving. Early in their development, it is more important for the player to have fun and discover a love for the game — this can be done most effectively through group training.

If a player is struggling to advance a level because of a skill deficiency in a certain area, a private lesson could be beneficial. As a player's skill and love for the game increases, more individualized attention is needed as their commitment increases.

In our Play to Compete and Elite groups, players have monthly 1-on-1 private sessions built into their training time to assess progress and develop a practice plan for the month. At this level, additional bi-weekly or monthly private sessions can accelerate the learning process if the player is following their prescribed practice plan.

As we onboard new participants, we're finding new ways to better identify which level on the player pathway they belong on — so they can experience some success before reaching their challenge point.