What if the biggest reason junior golfers quit isn’t talent—but the way we’re teaching them from day one?
In this episode of The Golf Sit Down, Ryan, Seth, and AJ sit down with Kristi Roach, PGA of Canada - 2024 PGA Atlantic Teacher of the Year, Operation 36 Top 50 Coach, Callaway Staff Member, and full-time coach at Hampton Golf Club, to talk about what long-term junior development really looks like when it’s done the right way. With a background as a middle school teacher and now a mom of two boys, Kristi brings a rare blend of coaching skill, classroom leadership, and real-life parenting to the conversation.
What You’ll Hear About:
- How to find the right coach for your child—and why it often shouldn’t be the parent
- Why early specialization can backfire, and how multi-sport seasons support long-term athletes
- What juniors actually need most: structure, fun, and a coach who can connect
- The “magic sauce” behind faster improvement: friends, games, and community
- How to handle tough play days when kids are upset about scores or not “moving up”
- Simple ways to coach emotional resilience without adding pressure
- Why food + hydration are performance skills (and how to build a plan that works)
- Why coaches should keep playing—and how it builds trust with students
“Finding a coach that can connect with your child and makes it fun… that’s everything.” Kristi Roach, PGA
Key Takeaways for Golfers, Parents & Coaches
- Connection comes before correction: Junior golfers learn best when they feel understood and supported. Trust, communication, and fun create the foundation for learning long before technical perfection matters.
- Structure builds confidence and clarity: Kids thrive when they know what’s coming. Clear routines, organized sessions, and simple expectations help juniors stay calm, focused, and ready to learn—on the course and off it.
- For coaches: Share the plan for each session.
- For parents: Consistent routines around practice and play help kids feel grounded.
- Long-term development beats early specialization Playing multiple sports, taking breaks, and avoiding year-round pressure keeps juniors healthy, motivated, and excited about golf over the long haul.
- Community fuels improvement: Juniors progress faster when golf is social. Friends, games, and shared practice time turn learning into something kids want to do—not something they’re forced to do.
- Focus on process, not just the score: Frustration often comes from comparison. Shifting attention to effort, highlights, and small improvements builds resilience and keeps confidence growing—even on tough days.
- Preparation matters—on and off the course: Consistent effort, showing up on low-motivation days, proper fueling, hydration, and coaches who stay engaged in the game all support better performance and a healthier relationship with golf.
If you want junior golfers to improve, you can’t just focus on mechanics—you have to build an environment where they feel connected, supported, and excited to come back. Kristi Roach’s approach is a blueprint for doing exactly that: structure without rigidity, challenge without pressure, and development that keeps the game fun.
Because the goal isn’t just to create juniors who shoot lower scores—it’s to develop golfers who love the game enough to stick with it.
Listen to the full episode of The Golf Sit Down Podcast with Kristi Roach to hear the full conversation on coaching, parenting, Operation 36 Play Days, and what it truly means to develop junior golfers the right way.
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