Welcome to The Opening Tee Shot

Thank you for joining me here with another edition of The Opening Tee Shot. 

Before I dive in, could you take a quick, one-question poll for me? I'd love to know what class you or your child is in. This will help as we develop more content here at Junior Golf Playbook. I'll also share the responses next week.

Simply click on this form and thank you!

Today I'm spilling the tea on what I've seen help with securing sponsorships for junior golfers, plus we've got a brand new junior golfer spotlight for you!

-Sara and Chili

A view of #18 at the Sea Island Plantation Course in 

Sea Island, Georgia

🏌️Getting sponsorships for junior golfers

I'm sure I don't have to tell you how expensive playing golf is, so if you're a parent like me then you're likely looking for ways to cut down on golf expenses. This is where sponsorships come in — and it may surprise you at what's available.

Not only do junior golfers have access to equipment sponsorships, such as golf clubs and training aids, but you can get clothing and footwear support, too. These sponsorships can range from receiving free gloves, balls, hats, and club discounts, to full-blown equipment support and all the clothing you could ever need.

Age isn't always a factor either. While our son received his first equipment sponsorship at age 12, we know other junior golfers as young as 6 getting a form of support. 

Every manufacturer, from Titleist to PING to Callaway, has their own criteria for the junior players they select. If you're selected, they may have rules on social media promotion, advertising, and other "contractual obligations" with their product.

I've noticed a few consistencies between manufacturers over the years so I have a few tips if you'd like to get on a company's radar for sponsorship:

• Reach out: Select the manufacturer you're interested in and send them a message. Introduce yourself, your accomplishments, and why you'd like consideration. Most manufacturers respond and if you're not selected, they'll tell you the criteria they use so you can apply at a later time once you meet it.
• Play in two-day or more tournaments: It sounds obvious, but playing in ranked tournaments is a must. Company reps often go to tournaments and if they take notice of you, you could receive an invitation to join their program. Not only can you get noticed, but it impacts your rankings.
• Pay attention to rankings: Your rankings, particularly with Junior Golf Scoreboard (JGS), matter. Certain manufacturers base their decision solely on rankings, while others partially consider them. If you want to learn what qualifies as a JGS ranked event, then read about rankings here. 
• Get your golf resume ready: When you reach out to a company, go ahead and include your golf resume. We'll be talking about this more in-depth in future issues, but a golf resume should include your bio, links to swing videos, tournament highlights, and a few basic stats. Feel free to reply to this email if you need some help with this!

I'm offering this advice based on personal experience. Our son first applied for an equipment sponsorship when he was younger, but didn't meet the manufacturer's criteria at the time. The company sent him hats and balls to show some support, but basically told us to come back when he was higher ranked.

Once his rankings improved, we reached out to the same manufacturer again and sure enough, he was offered a higher level of support. He's remained with them ever since and the support has been invaluable over the years.

Let this be an encouragement that you can have more influence on getting sponsors than you think! And don't be afraid to reach out to a variety of companies, such as training aids or push carts — there is support waiting for you, but you need to go after it.

🏌️Junior golfer spotlight!

Today's junior golfer spotlight features Carter Smith, Class of 2026 from Fort Mill, South Carolina. I have a personal connection to Carter as he and our son have played in U.S. Kids events together since the age of 7! They've stayed in touch as friends over the years and we love watching Carter grow in the game of golf.

Carter has acheived impressive results in high school golf and is actively working on improving his entire game.

How did you start playing golf?  

My older brother had a few clubs that he didn’t really use, so I picked them up around 6 years old and just started playing in the yard. My dad then started taking me to a learning course and clinics at Sunset Hills in Charlotte. I then joined an operation 36 program at Fort Mill Golf Course and began playing and winning US Kids golf events.

Do you set goals? 

Yes, I’ve set various goals over the years and work to achieve these through consistent habits.

Which goal is most important to you?

My current most important goal has been to improve my scoring average to below 74.

What is your biggest achievement in golf to this point?

My biggest achievement recently has been winning the SC High School Upper State championship, scoring a 68.

What part of your game are you working on right now?

I’ve recently been more focused on short game however, always working on my total game.

Who is your instructor? What is their Instagram account handle?

I work with Doug Spencer.

Is there some advice you can give others on getting prepared for tournaments?

My biggest advice is to not overthink.

Favorite restaurant?

I’m a huge Mexican food fan and love Chuys.

What other hobbies do you participate in when you’re not playing golf?

I enjoy playing Basketball and playing Texas Hold’em poker.

Who is your favorite social media influencer?

I enjoy watching Bryson DeChambeau’s videos.

Is there anything else you would like people to know about you?

I get pretty serious about Fantasy Football and still believe in the Carolina Panthers. I was born in Bentonville, Arkansas and a big Razorback fan.

↔️ Thank you for joining us this week. Don't forget to answer this  one-question poll for me please, it would mean so much!

Thank you to UP Consulting for your continued support as a sponsor and drop us a line if you're interested in affordable sponsorship opportunities with Junior Golf Playbook.

Do you know another junior golf parent who would like this newsletter? You can send this link.

Don't forget, you can always hit reply to this newsletter or email us at sara@juniorgolfplaybook.com.

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