Welcome to The Opening Tee Shot

Presented by Line Lion

Be clutch every time.

Hello everyone and welcome to the Wednesday edition of The Opening Tee Shot.

It's been a whirlwind of a week here at home for us. Our son played in the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley, which wrapped up on Saturday. 

While he seemed a bit dissapointed in his overall results, he loved the experience of it and the challenge of the course. It was also the last junior golf event we will be attending, other than the 2026 U.S. Junior Amateur at Saucon Valley. Our 10-year journey in junior golf is coming to a close it seems!

While this chapter closes, we're excited about the next one opening. Hamilton makes his Korn Ferry debut next week at the Club Car Championship in Savannah, GA (with a sponsor's exemption) and I have no idea what to expect with it, since I've personally never attended a Korn Ferry event. I can't wait to go through this and I'll share more in the upcoming newsletters.

Meanwhile, the junior golf content continues and this week we're bringing you a new spotlight, talking more about stats, and catching you up on more junior golf news.

-Sara and Chili

Sage Valley Golf Club in Graniteville, South Carolina

🏌️ Junior golf spotlight

We're excited to introduce Kylani Gathers to you this week! She's a Class of 2031 junior golfer from Brandon, Florida and she is so dedicated to the game of golf! Like so many younger players, she picked up the game during COVID and hasn't put down the clubs since. I'm so excited to see her growth as a player.

Make sure you're following Kylani and check out the highlight reel we put together.

Who is your favorite golfer?

Nelly Korda & Lydia Ko. Nelly always has great composure. Lydia has a great short game. 

How did you start playing golf?

My dad took me to a golf clinic during COVID and he bought me my first set. I’ve been playing ever since. 

What is your favorite thing about golf?

I like getting to meet new girls my age and making new friends with them.

What part of the game are you working on now?

I am currently working on my short game. Plus I just got new sets of shafts.

What is your best achievement in golf?

My biggest achievement yet is shooting 73 in a tournament. 

What is your graduation year?

2031 is the year I graduate high school. 

What is your biggest goal in the next 5 years? 

I would love to shoot under par in 18 holes. I would also like to hit a higher swing speed like in the 100’s.

Who is your golf instructor?

Coach Greg is my long game instructor. My short game instructor is Coach Vicki. They are awesome!

What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Strawberry ice cream is my favorite flavor. I prefer it fruity.

What other hobbies or sports do you participate in?

I like to play basketball in my free time. Also, I love fishing and I recently caught my first fish.

📈The case for singular focus

We've spent the last two weeks talking about stats for junior golfers, including which ones may be more important at this stage of their development, versus others. And we all know there are lots of stats you can spend time tracking!

If you feel like there's too much data available and it's not getting your son or daughter the traction you're hoping for, maybe the new strategy involves taking the opposite approach: focusing on one stat at a time.

Challenge them to pick one stat or focus area for a tournament or stretch of play. It could be:

• No 3-putts
• Commit to every tee shot
• Hit at least 50% of fairways
• Play smart targets (no unnecessary risks)

It's similar to setting a goal for a particular amount of time, but more specific and focused on something measurable. 

Let's say they intentionally track the number of putts per round. When they see a decline over a four-week period or multiple tournaments, then other areas of their game may sharpen as well. If you think your golfer "overthinks" when they're playing sometimes, then focusing on one stat may be the solution.

ICYMI

• Another shout out to the junior golf experience of this PGA Pro tour player. 
• Have you registered for the U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Girls' Junior local qualifying? Registration is now open for both.
• Here's a closer look at the 2026 National Finalists for the Drive, Chip and Putt. Can't wait to watch them on April 5th! (and there's still time to register for the 2027 qualifying events).

Thank you to UP Consulting and Line Lion 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 [email protected].

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