In this episode of The Golf Parent, I sit down with golf coach and author Todd Kolb to dive into the art of raising passionate, resilient junior golfers. Todd shares age-specific strategies for guiding young athletes, emphasizing the value of multi-sport participation and a competitive mindset. He explores how parents can create supportive environments that encourage growth and focus on the process of improvement, rather than solely on results.

Todd also breaks down common misconceptions in golf instruction, including simplifying the short game and shifting the focus from distance to control for consistent performance. Beyond technical advice, he offers powerful insights into overcoming bad days—both on the course and in life—and explains how to avoid the pitfalls of toxic sports parenting.

Whether you're a parent looking to inspire your junior golfer or an athlete aiming to sharpen your game, Todd’s expertise will help you foster passion, resilience, and lasting success.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Youth Sports Development

02:53 Passion and Environment in Junior Golf

05:59 Nurturing Young Golfers: Parental Influence

08:56 Age-Specific Guidance for Young Golfers

12:08 Building Resilience in Young Athletes

15:09 The Importance of Multi-Sport Participation

17:48 Developing Competitive Nature in Golf

21:05 Focusing on Process Over Results in Golf

26:51 Letting Go of Bad Days

29:13 The Bad Lie: Rethinking Golf Instruction

31:08 Misconceptions in Golf Instruction for Older Players

34:26 Injury Prevention and Swing Mechanics

37:34 The Importance of Control Over Distance

39:53 Simplifying the Short Game

46:40 Strategies for Lowering Scores

50:44 Encouraging Greatness in Young Athletes

Links: 

Todd Kolb

Twitter: https://x.com/usgolftv

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usgolftv/

Book: The Bad Lie https://www.badliegolfbook.com/

Website: https://usgolftv.com/

The Golf Parent

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