It may be hot and steamy where you are, but August often provides our first glimpse of fall, at least on the calendar. Talk of football is stirred and back to school sales are thriving. It’s not too early to start considering your off-season plans for your golfers. How will you keep them happy, healthy and moving forward in their progress.
Our winter player development program is designed to build the foundation that helps golfers perform at their highest level when tournament season arrives. A large percentage of our winter participants are junior golfers who compete regularly, so every aspect of the program is intentional and supports long-term athletic and competitive development.
During the competitive season, our coaching philosophy centers on the concept of “task before technique.” Rather than asking players to consciously manipulate body positions throughout the golf swing, we allow the intended shot to guide movement. Simply put, we let the shot create the swing. This approach minimizes excessive internal thoughts that can interfere with performance and encourages athletes to react naturally, adapt to different playing situations and develop trust in their abilities. Our emphasis is on function over form, helping players perform under pressure rather than becoming consumed with mechanical details.
The winter months provide a unique opportunity to shift that focus. With tournaments no longer the immediate priority, our philosophy intentionally changes to a form over function approach. This is the ideal time to improve movement quality, body awareness and physical efficiency. Rather than emphasizing performance outcomes, we concentrate on developing proper movement patterns that will support better golf mechanics in the future.
Quality always takes precedence over quantity. If necessary, players perform fewer repetitions at a slower pace to ensure every movement is executed correctly. Mirrors, video analysis and 3D motion technology are incorporated to provide immediate visual feedback and increase self-awareness. As golfers learn how their bodies move, they develop a greater understanding of posture, balance, stability and coordination, creating a stronger physical foundation for the upcoming season.
Health and wellness are equally important components of our winter development program. Each group session typically begins with approximately one hour of physical training focused on functional movement, mobility and golf-specific fitness. Workouts utilize bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, stretching and breath work to improve strength, flexibility, balance and overall movement quality, while reducing the risk of injury.
Every fitness session concludes with approximately 30 minutes of meditation. Maybe more so than any other generation, teaching junior athletes the value of meditation and mindfulness helps them develop the ability to remain present, regulate emotions and improve concentration. Learning to control breathing, quiet distractions and focus on the moment enhances not only athletic performance but also overall well-being. These skills become valuable assets during competition, where emotional control and mental resilience often separate good players from great ones.
Our winter program recognizes that developing successful golfers extends far beyond swing mechanics. Physical preparation, movement quality, mental training and overall wellness all play critical roles in long-term performance. By combining purposeful physical development with mindfulness and body awareness, we help junior golfers build the tools they need to return to the course stronger, healthier, more confident and better prepared for the demands of competitive golf.
Chris Clemens, the 2023 Indiana PGA Section Youth Player Development Award winner and 2025 Section Player Development Award winner, is the founder and PGA of America Director of Instruction at the Indianapolis (IN) Golf Academy.