📧 DAY 5 – When You’re Part of the Coaching Team

You can be a great parent and a great coach but only if you’re clear, prepared, and self-aware.

A lot of parents try to coach their junior golfers. Sometimes it works… but not all coaching is helpful.

If you’re going to take on that role, you need to take it seriously. Coaching isn’t just giving tips based on what worked for your swing or repeating things you saw online. It means having a clear teaching plan based on real fundamentals and understanding your child’s learning style.

In golf, the parent-coach model works best when the parent has deep experience with the game, or is a teaching professional. Even then, it takes more than knowledge. It takes emotional control, patience, and a willingness to step back when needed.

The Tiger & Earl Woods Approach

Tiger’s dad, Earl, introduced him to the game and laid the foundation, fundamentals, discipline, mental toughness. But Earl didn’t pretend to know it all. Once he realized Tiger’s potential, he brought in outside coaches and let them take over swing development.
He stayed involved closely, but respected that others had more knowledge. That’s smart parenting and smart coaching.

How to Be a Strong Parent-Coach

• Know what you’re teaching
  Build a foundation on solid golf principles, not personal habits. Use drills and a plan, not “what worked for me.”

• Learn how they learn
  Every kid processes information differently. Some need to see it (visual learners), some need to feel it (kinesthetic learners), and some respond best to short, simple cues. As the coach, it’s not about saying the same thing over and over again, it’s about figuring out how to explain it in a way they understand.

• Bring in outside help when it’s time
  If you sense resistance or tension, it’s not failure. It’s just time to let someone else lead. You can stay involved as a second set of eyes, tracking patterns, collecting stats, and passing info to the coach.

• Separate roles clearly
  Let your child know when you’re in “coach mode” vs. “parent mode.” Don’t blur the line. They need both but not at the same time.

• Let the experience stay theirs
  Be present, but let them own the practice, the round, and the outcome.

Key Insight:

Being both parent and coach works best when you know your boundaries, plan your coaching like a professional, and let go of control when it’s time.

Reflection Prompt:

Have you taken the time to define what kind of coach you want to be for your child?
Are you making space for outside information when it’s needed?

If you have made it to day 5, THANK YOU!