Junior Golf

First Tee Atlantic

Golf Canada partnered with First Tee to launch First Tee – Canada in 2021. First Tee is Golf Canada’s youth development program that provides children from equity-deserving communities with inclusive and low-barrier pathways to golf and life-enhancing experiences.

First Tee programming is offered in schools, community centres, and at golf facilities. The curriculum not only teaches the fundamentals of golf, but also impactful life skills that participants can take with them on and off the golf course.

First Tee – Canada has six regional chapters that operate programming in every province. First Tee – Atlantic launched in 2022 and has positively impacted more than 30,000 children through golf.

To learn more about becoming a First Tee program location, coach, volunteer or donor, visit firstteeatlantic.ca or contact firstteeatlantic@golfcanada.ca.

First Tee Coach

Without caring mentors, positive youth development just doesn’t happen.
At First Tee Coach, we take coaching seriously. We believe that a meaningful, quality relationship between coach and participant is vital to our program.

First Tee helps kids discover what’s inside of them, guide them to strengthen it and mentor them to put it into action in everything they do. To do this, First Tee needs enthusiastic and caring individuals to serve as positive mentors and role models to kids and teens of various backgrounds. Coaches’ ability to develop impactful relationships with our participants is the backbone of our program.

You don’t have to be a golf pro (or even a good golfer), First Tee will provide the training you need! The training system is built on research-proven methods of positive youth development, providing coaches with the tools to make kids feel safe, included and empowered.

If you have a passion for impact and want to become a coach, reach out to the chapter near you!

More Information, contact Wayne Allen, Technical Director at Golf NL.

Youth on Course

Youth on Course helps eliminate golf’s affordability barrier for Golf Canada members ages 6 to 18. These young golfers can play subsidized rounds for $5 or less at participating courses during designated times. Members also have access to an international network of more than 2,000 golf courses across North America.

Golf NL High-Performance Program

The Team NL High-Performance program is an opportunity for selected athletes in Newfoundland & Labrador to be part of our development or high-performance teams. Athletes will receive coaching from PGA & Golf Canada qualified coaches, training & competitive opportunities and sports science support as they continue their pathway towards excellence in golf and life.

Being selected to be part of the Team NL program is a tremendous accomplishment. The Team NL program places considerable emphasis on developing lifelong skills in all departments of their growth including self-regulation, strength & conditioning, sports psychology, nutrition, tactical strategies, and technical feedback.

Mercedes-Benz Junior Tour

The Mercedes-Benz Junior Golf Tour is an initiative put in place to promote golf as a healthy and fun activity, while providing junior players with the opportunity to gain competitive experience and an understanding and appreciation for the rules of golf.

The Tour is for junior and pre-junior golfers between the ages of 10 and 18.

There are five divisions:

NL Pathway for Junior Golfers

Canada’s Junior Competitive Pathway is a valuable tool to assist players and parents in choosing appropriate competitions for junior aged players based on several factors including age, current tournament handicap and stage of development (based on the Long-Term Player Development Guide for Golf in Canada). The pathway also illustrates what level of PGA of Canada training / certification is recommended for coaching players at the various stages of development.

Contact your local golf course to inquire about any upcoming junior invitationals.

Step 1: Explore

0–6 Years Old

Hit golf balls at the local range, tag along with your family to a course, play miniature golf, and swing in your backyard.

Step 2: Learn

5-8 Years Old

Take clinics and lessons at your local golf course, and register for a summer golf camp. Learn fundamental movement skills, golf etiquette and develop physical literacy. Attend a Junior Skills Challenge in your area.

Step 3: Play

8-11 Years Old

Continue to develop skills with practice and instruction. Begin playing 9 holes, par 3 courses, and use the forward tees. Join fun competitions at local clubs, Linkster events, and club championships. Attend a Junior Skills Challenge in your area. Establish a golf handicap.

U13 Provincial Championships (2 Day – 36 hole event)

Step 4: Compete

11-14 Years Old

Play in a variety of competitions where the emphasis is not on winning. Continue to play a variety of sports. GOLE Learn more about the rules of golf. Increase the number and variety of competitions: MJT, CJGA events, club championships, and invitationals. Establish a golf handicap.

U13, U14, U16 & U19 Provincial Championship

Step 5: Compete

14-18 Years Old

Training for performance: working with a regular golf coach and creating a plan for competition. Increase the length & difficulty of the courses. Understand goal setting, & performance benchmarks. Develop an understanding of post-secondary opportunities. Introduce the idea of indoor training, nutrition, mental training, and physical fitness. Competitions will vary with Nationals, Canada Games, & more inter-provincial events. Participation in Golf Canada’s NextGEN events, Canadian Juniors, MJT and CJGA tours, & high school golf.

U13, U14, U16 & U19 Provincial Championship

Long Term Player Development

Golf’s Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) guide encompasses all aspects of athlete progression – from early childhood through to adulthood. The framework is at the core of Golf Canada’s mission to develop players that can compete at the highest level within the sport.

While serving as a measurement tool for performance, the LTPD guide also focuses on continued efforts to foster life-long engagement with the sport. The 2015 release of the guide’s second iteration elevated the experience for those that utilize the guide by incorporating new interactive elements to separate it from its earlier version (released in 2006).

Although specifically targeted at golf professionals, athletes and parents, LTPD also contains valuable information for Golf Course Owners and Superintendents.

PGA of Canada Community Coach

Community Golf Coach Workshops. Make your mark in Junior Golf! Looking at getting more involved in junior golf at your facility? Want to help your PGA of Canada professional with his or her Junior Golf Programming? This workshop is designed for the Community Golf Coach who is, or would like to, work with children or youth and is introducing the basic skills of golf. The goal is to help prepare you to be competent in the skills required by a community coach.

More Information, contact Wayne Allen, Technical Director at Golf NL

Coach NL

NCCP Online Delivery is delivered by Coaching NL to provide coaches with more options to complete their NCCP Coaching Pathway. However, coaches are encouraged to choose in-person NCCP courses prior to pursuing Online Delivery, as in-person courses are considered the most effective method for learning.

Responsible Coaching Movement

The Responsible Coaching Movement (RCM) is a call to action for sport organizations, parents, and coaches to enact responsible coaching across Canada – on and off the field.

The RCM is a multi-phase movement that affects all sport organizations and coaches across Canada. It stems from extensive and ongoing consultation with the sport community in Canada that showed us some of the systemic issues in sport, the role various parties play, and strategies for addressing these issues.
The Coaching Association of Canada and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport support the Canadian sporting community in improving practices that ensure the health, safety and well-being of all participants.

Pillars: Rule of Two

A safe sport environment ensures all coaches, staff, and administrators apply the Rule of Two. When following the Rule of Two, all interactions and communications with participants are in open, observable, and justifiable settings, and two responsible adults — whether a coach, parent, staff or screened volunteer — are present. There may be exceptions in emergency situations. Check with your sport organization as to how the Rule of Two is enforced.

Pillars: Background Screening

A secure sport environment is one where all coaches and sport organization leaders are screened to meet requirements to be involved in sport. Screening includes comprehensive background and reference checks, interviews, plus police information checks, to be done at regular intervals.

Pillars: Ethics Training

A smart sport environment ensures coaches are trained and have the confidence and skills needed to effectively manage challenging situations. Lifelong learning through numerous training modules helps coaches expand their knowledge and awareness of important topics throughout their career.

Safe Sport Training

Safe, inclusive sport environments help make sport rewarding and enriching for all. By completing Safe Sport Training you will gain the knowledge and skills to create healthy and safe environments by recognizing, addressing and preventing maltreatment in sport.

After completing Safe Sport Training you will be able to:

Understand that everyone has a role to play in keeping sport safe, how the misuse of power leads to maltreatment, and the principles of the Universal Code of Conduct.

Understand the various types of maltreatment, the conditions that enable them, and how to recognize signs that they may be happening.

Know what to do if you suspect maltreatment, and how you can create a culture that protects all participants. As of April 1, 2020, all Sport Canada-funded organizations are required to have training in abuse and harassment available to everyone under their immediate authority.

Safe Sport Training is classified as non-NCCP Professional Development. Coaches who are maintaining their Trained or Certified status will receive two (2) Professional Development points upon completing the module.

The Training is available online through the Locker at no cost.

For more information and resources: