In this episode of Your Golf Performance Podcast, I’m joined by Ryan Smith, coach at the Sea Island Golf Performance Center, to dive deep into what it really takes to develop elite junior golfers. Ryan breaks down the structure of his Player Development Program, including how many hours juniors should be training each week and how to balance technical work, fitness, mental training, and on-course play. We discuss the key differences between players who win events and those who consistently struggle to make cuts, and the habits elite performers build that others simply don’t. We also explore the importance of competitive practice vs block practice, what Ryan learns most from watching his players compete on course, and the common mental and physical mistakes young golfers make under pressure. Ryan shares practical travel tips for tournaments, insights into strength and fitness development, and how he builds accountability and ownership in young players. Finally, we tackle a topic many parents will relate to — how to coach juniors who have access to everything but may lack work ethic or intrinsic motivation, and what parents should realistically expect when their child enters a long-term development program. This episode is a must-listen for junior golfers, parents, and coaches looking to understand what truly drives high-level performance.


We thank Titleist - The number 1 brand in golf for their continued support of the YGP Podcast!

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