The Youth Golf Foundation of North Carolina sponsoring

the Lake Norman Junior Golf Association at Mooresville Golf Club

"Impacting the lives of youth through the game of golf and community programs.”

Our organizations mission is to serve area youth through the game of golf while building stronger communities.

Our goal is to provide the golf learning facilities and the experience that will enable kids to partake of a game that teaches values for life and which can be played for a life time. Programming will be offered at Mooresville Golf Club March through November, while serving the Lake Norman Region of Mooresville, North Carolina. The classes introduce the game of golf to all youth of our community. The objective of the organizers is to use golf as a medium to improve a child's development on and off the golf course.

The Youth Golf Foundation of North Carolina was co-founded by Michael Abate with the support of the Mooresville area golf professionals. Their common thread was simply to give something back to the youth of the Lake Norman Region and beyond. Focus will be on all youth ages 4 through 17. The Youth Golf Foundation of North Carolina is now sponsoring the youth program at Mooresville Golf Club. 

We support the development of learning opportunities, activities, and interpersonal relationships.

Empower Youth - Activity Based - Master Driven - Continuous Learning

Youth Golf Foundation of NC LLC Established December 2009

FAQ’S Mooresville Junior Golf Program

What are the advantages of a Youth Golf Program?

We all want our kids to develop into responsible adults. The game of golf has at its core a standard of behavior that lends itself to positive development. Personal skills such as honesty, integrity, courtesy and respect are all present in golf, regardless of the level of competition. Golf teaches kids to use good judgment and be responsible for their actions. It also encourages the highest level of sportsmanship. What other sport allows you to call a penalty on yourself with examples of this very thing being demonstrated on the biggest stages of the game? In addition to the scholarships that colleges and universities offer directly to the accomplished golfers coming out of high school, there are numerous avenues to receive monies that can be used to help with the cost of higher education. Equipment manufacturers, State golf associations, and junior golf organizations, are all on the list of sources that offer anything from $500 for books to a full-ride scholarship to the student’s school of choice. In many cases, skill level is not a determining factor for receiving an award: involvement in the game, good grades, community service, and employment at a golf facility can all be reasons for becoming a scholarship winner.

When was the last time you played a game of tackle football with your son or field hockey with your daughter? Golf is a game that families can learn and play together, and because of the handicap system that was created to determine a golfer’s playing ability and potential, moms and dads can actually compete with their children even if they play from different tee boxes or at significantly different skill levels. Golf is a great low-impact way to develop the cardio activity, core stability, balance and focus that is necessary to function effectively from day-to-day.

 I have noticed a rate decrease?

Starting January 1^st, 2012 the yearly student registration fee will still only be $60 per student, however the multiple student registration fee will be $75 per household!

 I have noticed a rate increase?

There will be a small increase in some youth programs offered starting 2012. This will be the first price increase in over 4 years for junior golf programs at Mooresville Golf Course. The YGF of NC and Mooresville Golf Course plan keep pricing at a competitive level while offering more added value in their golf programs.

 What is included in our yearly membership fee?

Registered youth from 1/1/13 to 12/31/13 will have the privilege to play Mooresville GC for $5 any time of the year. Membership fees also help offset the cost of student uniform pieces, instruction fees, youth prizes, and lesson supplies.

 Will students still get the same benefits?

Yes, all registered students will receive benefits such as $5 greens fees, golf club usage, and opportunities for other youth related events. By keeping the golf program more internally with the golf course, it will open the door for future incentives and benefits for all the youth.

 Who will be the Coach’s?

The coaching staff will still be lead by PGA Professional Mike Abate and PGA Professionals Jeremy Elliot and Charlie Roberts of Mooresville Golf Club. Assistance will also be provided by LPGA professionals, Volunteers, and Student Coaches.

 When will programming be offered?

Programming will continue to be offered in Spring, Summer, and Fall Semesters while adding other classes, curriculum, events, play days, and clinics throughout the year.

Spring Semester – 7 week curriculum March through May

Summer Semester – Week Sessions, Week Camps, One Day Sessions, offered June through August.

Fall Semester – 7 week curriculum September through November.

 Where do I go for information?

Information can be found at Mooresville Golf Course 800 Golf Course Drive 28115, 704-663-2539 and www.TheYouthGolfFoundationofNC.org 704-490-0229.

 What will the golf curriculum cover?

The golf curriculum will continue to cover golf skills, golf knowledge, golf rules, and golf etiquette for youth ages 4 to 17 years of age. (See chart below)

 What ages will be served?

Junior golf instruction will continue to serve those youth ages 4 to 17. Students are placed into classes based on age, level of golf experience, golf knowledge, and class availability.

 How big are the classes, and what happens when they are full?

Registration will stop once that particular class is full. Class sizes will depend on the number of Coaches and the type of curriculum offered.

 Can I volunteer for the program?

Volunteers are always needed and can be used in vast majority of ways to help the program. All volunteers go through a background check and placed into their area of strength.

 Can I make donations to the program?

Donations are always accepted and help keep the cost of the program down while giving opportunities to those youth in need.

What yardage should my child be playing on the golf course? 

Practice and the Stages of Development

Practice means different things at different stages of a player’s development.
    In studies concerning the development of elite athletes, renowned sports science researcher Dr. Jean Côté, Professor and Director of the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen’s University, found that there were clear patterns that emerged. He identified three stages of sport development from childhood to late adolescence as the Sampling Years (ages 6-12); the Specializing Years (ages 13-15); and the Investment Years (age 16 and up). 
    The Sampling, Specializing and Investment years are differentiated by, and based on, the amount of the participant’s deli-berate practice (structured formal training) and deliberate play (neighborhood play using the general rules of the game without being an organized league), i.e., pick-up basketball.

THE SAMPLING YEARS: AGES 6-12
    The Sampling Years are characterized by a low frequency of deliberate practice and a high frequency of deliberate play. Simply, athletes in this stage develop most effectively when they are provided with the opportunity to play informal games for hundreds of hours (deliberate play). In these games and activities, the players can use their creativity to modify the rules of the sport to suit the situation. They require very little structured practice and drills (deliberate practice) led by coaches or parents. 
    Golf should be introduced to children who show interest in the sport when they are in the Sampling Years. It should be one of several activities that they explore. Ideally, children interested in the sport should participate in an organized golf skills development program that is fun and appealing. This program should be conducted by an individual trained in junior golf coaching. Children at this stage need to gain as much experience as possible by playing the game. They should be taught the basic fundamentals and then given the opportunity to play the sport. There should be little concern for competing in organized tournaments at this stage. 

THE SPECIALIZING YEARS: AGES 13-15
    In the development of elite athletes, an important transition point occurs at approximately age 13 when the athletes begin secondary school. They reduce their involvement in other sports, and begin to compete at the regional or national level in their primary sport.
    The Specializing Years mark a transition in which athletes gradually decrease their involvement in various extracurricular activities and focus on one or two sporting activities. While fun and excitement remained central elements of the sporting experience, sport-specific development emerged as a characteristic of the child’s involvement. 
    The research suggests that if a child is passionate about golf, and has the desire and aptitude to potentially advance as an elite level player in golf, then at the age of about 13, he should make golf one of his ‘top two’ sports. He should align himself with a professional coach who is trained and specializes in developing competitive players. He should develop peer group relationships with other athletes who have the same interests. He should practice, play and compete in the same fashion as other top aspiring high performance athletes in all sports. 
    Elite golfers should follow periodized annual plans and be aware of and respect the recommended practice-to-competition ratios.
    In the specializing years, athletes need to shift to approximately equal amounts of deliberate play and deliberate practice. They need to learn effective practice habits and training regimens. 

INVESTMENT YEARS: AGE 16 AND UP
    As elite athletes continue to develop, another transition point occurs at approximately age 16. This is when athletes make a decision to be elite athletes and consequently invest most all of their leisure time into training and competing.
    In this stage, the child becomes committed to achieving an elite level of performance. These athletes are focused on their chosen sport and usually one or two additional off-season sports or activities. 
If an athlete is committed to developing his skills as an elite level golfer, he should make golf his primary sport by age 16. He or she should train and compete in a professional fashion under the guidance of a highly-trained golf coach who specializes in player development. He or she should be enrolled in an Olympic-type coaching, training and development program with other like-minded athletes, if possible.