While these are primarily tailored for elementary school-aged kids, many of them also apply to engaging any beginner in the sport of disc golf!
5 easy tips to engage kids in disc golf:
Tip #1 – Keep it FUN!
Simply put, this is THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP out there. So, always try to give your best and keep it FUN! If it is not fun, they will not like it. All the other rules fall under this same umbrella/idea.
Tip #2 – Use kid-friendly discs.
Buy at least 1 disc that is very lightweight and understable before you start. Dino discs or super lightweight, ideally weighing less than 140 grams. Or understable discs such as Innova Roadrunners, Latitude 64 Diamonds, Innova Leopards, etc. work well.
Are there disc golf discs specifically made for children? Yes, there are! Check out the best disc golf discs for kids & juniors by clicking here.
Tip #3 – Start SLOW!
Start by playing 9 holes (or even less) on a short/beginner friendly course. If they are struggling at all or seeming to get frustrated, let them play from your tee shot. Build from this very gradually when you are sure they can handle more.
Tip #4 – Reward them.
I still take my kids to get ice cream after virtually every round of disc golf we play. This can make the difference between a kid willingly choosing to go play disc golf with you or staying home. It also continues to strengthen the idea that Disc Golf = Fun!
Tip #5 – Let them PLAY!
While you will certainly have dozens of things that you want to work with them on to get better, that is not going to be fun for them. Stick to one simple piece of advice (at most) per round and don’t be frustrated if they don’t follow it. Being critiqued isn’t fun. Let them play and they will gradually absorb and get better over time.
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All of these awesome tips come from John Harper: “I have seen many parents ask some version of: “How do you get your kids to enjoy disc golf?” While I am certainly far from perfect, as a father of 5 who is almost always playing with a subset of my kids, I thought I would share what I have learned through trial and too much error. While this is tailored for elementary school aged kids, much of this also applies to engaging any beginner.”