Juniors are absolutely essential to the success of the game on a global scale. At golf clubs, they should be welcomed with open arms, encouraged and respected. Many facilities do a fantastic job of nurturing and motivating young golfers, and countless clubs have schemes in place – often run by passionate members who are volunteers – that help juniors learn, develop, have fun and fall in love with the game. From taster sessions to free lessons and, in some cases, complimentary junior memberships – as at Seaton Carew in County Durham – the work being done in this realm is commendable.
However, it’s not all positive. The old adage that ‘children should be seen and not heard’ is sometimes used as a metaphorical stick to beat juniors with. On occasion, it can feel like juniors are treated like second-class citizens despite having as much right as anyone else to have a golf club membership (or be nomadic golfers). Of course, there’s a learning curve and juniors should be told when they’re not conducting themselves appropriately, but sometimes it can be done in the wrong way.
