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Parent’s Guide: Without Trust, All Else Fails

By Brendon Elliott, PGA

Published on Thursday, November 4, 2021

For as long as the game has been around, there has been an understanding that in order to get better at golf, one needs to spend time sharpening skills; both technical and mental. Because the game is so diverse, with so many moving parts and areas of focus to try and become proficient in, golfers learn pretty quickly that there must be a process in order to manage all that needs to be worked on.

Parents will often choose to bring on a PGA Coach for their junior golfer to help navigate the process of learning and improvement. Once this decision is made, a bond of Trust must be formed in order for the coach-student, student-coach and parent and coach relationships to work.

When a PGA Coach is brought into the picture, a parent and student will see this person as “one in which confidence is placed” which is part of the expanded definition of Trust. In addition, “An assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something” will be necessary for a coach to be effective in this newly formed relationship.

Parents should do their research on coaches before a decision is made on retaining their services. It is critical to find a coach that you can fully Trust. At the same time, it is critical for a coach to be able to Trust that their student will follow their lead and put in the required work necessary for good outcomes to be the result of them working together.

Finally, something often overlooked in terms of Trust, is this further expansion by Merriam-Webster on the word…“Dependence on something future or contingent : HOPE.” Because golf is so complex, and a process must be put in place to tackle that complexity, students and parents MUST learn to Trust the Process.

Competent coaches lay things out in a way that helps ensure future successes and makes sure that success is sustainable over time. A student and parents’ patience and Trust are essential with this.

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Sorrento, FL

Brendon Elliott

Executive Director/Founder

Brendon Elliott is considered by his peers in the industry as one of the top youth golf coaches in the world. He is a multiple local, state, regional, national, and world award-winning instructor who focuses on junior golfers ages 3-18. With numerous appearances on Golf Channel's Morning Drive, local TV, nationwide radio, and countless publications, Elliott is one of the foremost experts in the youth golf arena. His Little Linksters organization is recognized as an example for introducing children as young as three to the game as well as how to help introduce youth with disabilities to our golf. Elliott has been recommended by industry titans such as Nicklaus, Player, Floyd, Sorenstam, Speith, and more. Among his numerous accolades, Elliott was named the PGA of America's 2017 PGA National Youth Player Development Award Winner in 2017. Additionally, Elliott is a very busy freelance golf writer who works for various golf media outlets, including PGA.com, Golf.com, and many more. You can catch his three weekly columns on both GolfWRX.com and rg.org/news/golf.

Meet Brendon