Young children should not over indulge in competitions as these could lead to burn-out and injuries. Some parents may be keen to get their young ones into serious competitions too early in their development. This could cause unnecessary pressure on the child that could lead to early retirement as we have seen many cases in the past. As concurred by Tiger Woods “It’s the child’s desire to play that matters, not the parent’s desire to have the child play.”

Golf also helps students in their learning process. STEM which stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics is part of life around us and has a lot to do with golf. We need STEM to play golf and we can learn STEM through golf.

Science

Science can help the player to determine the forces and aerodynamics occurring during the hitting of the ball and the flight through the air. The dimples on the golf ball reduce the drag in the air, making it possible for the ball to go faster and farther. Different golf clubs have different weights, lie angles and head sizes and the loft angle determines the height and spin of the ball. For example the lower the loft angle, the further the ball goes

Technology

It is important for the golfer to know the different equipment that provide the technical services to the player like flight scope and trackman, distance measuring device, launch monitors, simulators and golf apps that can help their game of golf

Engineering

Helps players in selecting the correct design and creating a customs club to suit the needs of individual golfers where the size and angle of club head plus the force exerted on the golf ball affects the distance and flight path of the golf shot.

Maths

The need for players to chart the distance and range of each club, calculate the speed of the swing performed by the player and determine the flight of the ball that can improve the player’s ability to plan their game effectively.

Hence, it is important for students to be familiar with STEM as STEM can improve their ability to plan their golf game and make them better performers. For example, science can help the player to determine the forces and aerodynamics occurring during the hitting of the ball and the flight through the air. They will learn the functions of golf clubs, the relationship between club loft angle and the distance that the ball travels when struck. Ultimately, students will learn about different sciences and technologies used in the game of golf.