PGA professional Kasey Dive uses a simple philosophy to get 4-year-olds hooked on golf

Kasey Dive understands why some people wince when they hear that she coaches kids as young as 4 at Lane Cove Golf Club on Sydney’s Lower North Shore.

If you can’t get a 4-year-old to put their clothes away, brush their teeth or contain their toys to one section of the house, how do you expect to teach them the intricacies of the grip and proper takeaway? Quite simply, Dive doesn’t even try. Not straight away, at least.

A PGA professional offering junior programs at Lane Cove for the past 17 years, Dive dedicates herself to bringing beginners into the game and giving them the grounding to want to stay. Her youngest golfers are in the Peewee Program for 4-to-6-year-olds, some of whom suggest more experience in golf than you might expect.

“They tell us, ‘I play golf all the time,’” Dive says. “They think they know how to play golf because they’ve played it on the Wii or Nintendo Switch.”

Dive doesn’t overload her enthusiastic newcomers with technique or theory; she provides the opportunity to hit balls in a game-based environment that is constantly evolving. There is an element of repetition to build fundamentals, but it’s done in such a way that the kids don’t even know they’re learning.

“If you’re trying to build the perfect swing or the perfect set-up straight away, they’re not going to take it in,” Dive explains. “They just want to hit the ball.

“Let them hit it, let them make mistakes and if you see an element of frustration, that’s an avenue to step in and offer some advice that they’ll actually listen to.”

Kids are hitting balls in their very first lesson at Lane Cove, with games focused initially on short shots building into longer swings and then, ultimately, time on the golf course.

The success of Dive’s program shines through in that there are now teenagers attending the Saturday squad classes at Lane Cove who began in the Peewee Program.

And for those who shudder at the thought of teaching young kids how to play golf, Dive says her students have taught her how to be a better coach along the way.

“It’s finding how to relate to each child,” she explains. “If they’re showing signs of not wanting to be there, then that’s not their fault. That’s on me.

“You’ve got to find a way to engage with them to capture their interest. You should be able to bring in every single child and find a way for them to love the sport.” 

To connect your child with a PGA professional and begin their journey in golf, visit pga.org.au/play/juniors/ or pga.org.au/find-a-pga-pro/