Equipment Review: U.S. Kids Golf, by Jeffrey Reed

When I took up the game of golf at age 11, I was like almost every child in that I was forced to play with my father’s hand-me-down clubs. Sometimes, parents would cut down the shafts of their clubs in order to fit them for their youngsters, but this didn’t make the cut.

U.S. Kids Golf, a world-wide leader in golf clubs and accessories for children, makes golf for today’s youth a much more enjoyable experience. A carefully-designed fitting system ensures each child receives properly fitting clubs, aimed at their specific skill level. Original U.S. Kids Golf offerings allowed girls to choose between the Red/Pink 3' to 3'8", and the Blue/Lavender 3'8" to 4'4" systems. For boys 4'4" to 5', the original offerings included Green and Silver systems. The Green system clubheads are 25-per-cent lighter than adult clubheads, while the Silver system uses clubheads 12-per-cent lighter than adult versions. The Gold system for boys 4'10" to 5'6" is available as Performance Light or Championship Series clubs.

In order to put U.S. Kids Golf equipment to the test, we enlisted 10-year-old Toronto-are golfer Lucas, who helped in reviewing the Silver system, for ages 9-11. Thanks to a system that takes into consideration height and skill level, clubs are custom fit for top performance, and maximum enjoyment. Lucas’s seven-piece set included an instructional booklet, and a dual strap bag with stand, complete with a 3-wood, 6-iron, 8-iron, SW and PW. I liked the look of the oil can-finish sand wedge, but I’ll let Lucas take it from here.

"The clubs (with graphite shafts) were easy to hit," said Lucas. "I hit them far, too – farther than my dad! I love golf, too, because it lets me spend more time with my dad." Lucas said the driver is his favourite club, but he also enjoys the irons, which make it "easy to hit from the fairways. And I like the sand wedge – it’s cool. The (dual-strap) bag is easy to carry, too."

The Personal Tee Golf Learning Program Level One instructional booklet accompanying this set of clubs is a comprehensive yet easy-to-use booklet for kids who are learning the ins and outs of what is a complex game. It provides balanced instruction and positive incentives to encourage young golfers like Lucas to reach their full potential in the game. A U.S. Kids Golf "dream course," with "dream yardages," is included to shorten the course for appropriate yardages for children. Afer all, would you push your kid off a mountain the first time he straps on skis?

Brand new from U.S. Kids Golf: Yellow, Lime and Mango systems – upping its offerings to eight complete colour-coded systems for young golfers. The Yellow system, for example, is designed for beginner to intermediate players 4'10" to 5'6". Each colour system matches a kid’s height, strength, and experience level – a perfect fit every time.

Norcross, Georgia-based U.S. Kids Golf also provides further learning opportunities, including instruction, plus competitions.

Every child should have the opportunity to play with properly-fitting clubs, instead of equipment with cut-down shafts, or even mom or dad’s original hand-me-down clubs. Visit the U.S. Kids Golf website www.uskidsgolf.com for more information of equipping your kid for the game – the right way.