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As a first reaction, most golfers cringe when they see children running around their golf course.
They get nervous about slow play, rules being broken and general chaos. What they should be seeing, instead, is the pure joy that another young person has found the game.
So many golf facilities have no children running around, either the membership/regular golfers or management discourage it (subtly or overtly) or the difficulty of the course and cost of the club does.
In order to keep this game healthy for the next generation of golfers, more children need to be introduced to the game at younger and younger ages. And that requires golf courses and clubs - and golfers, too - to embrace young golfers not shoo them away.
Some golf clubs are better at this than others. Either they have the space and facilities to be more inclusive to young golfers or they have a healthy, all-inclusive culture that attracts golfers of all ages.
Youth on Course, a non-profit based in Monterey, Calif., is doing its part to grow the game by offering its members, ages 6-18, $5 rounds of golf at more than 2,000 participating courses across the United States, Canada and Australia. Just by partnering with Youth on Course, these courses are putting up a sign that reads: "kids welcome". Every golfers should applaud these courses and encourage their home club to follow suit.
We've analyzed the data of Youth on Course members to discover the courses that hosted the most rounds for junior golfers in 2024. If you want your young golfers to feel comfortable and welcome while learning the game, these facilities are a great place to start. Youth on Course members play thousands of rounds at these facilities. It's likely your child won't be the only junior playing golf at these courses. There will be other children to meet and potentially play with on the course or practice with at the putting green and range. Maybe a lifelong friendship, on and off the course, is waiting.
The 25 most popular Youth on Course affiliated clubs span 11 different states. Ten of them offer tee times through GolfPass, so hover over the photos below and click the 'view tee times' button to join your young golfer on the course.
America's 25 most popular public golf courses for junior golfers
1. Starfire Golf Club
2. Mariners Point Golf Center
3. McInnis Park Golf Center
4. Eagle Run Golf Course
5. Sykes/Lady Overland Park Par 3 Golf Club
6. Bobby Jones Golf Course
7. Cleary Lake Golf Course
8. Baker National Golf Course - Evergreen Executive Course
9. Cobblestone Golf Course
10. Meadowbrook Golf Club
11. San Pedro Golf Course Par 3
12. Bay View Golf Club
13. Los Lagos Golf Course
14. Chelmsford Country Club
15. Braemar Golf Course - Academy 9
16. Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course
17. Meadow Park Golf Course
18. TPC Harding Park Golf Course - Fleming Course
19. Twin Rivers Golf Course
20. Santa Teresa Golf Club and Short Course
21. Brackenridge Park Golf Course
22. Bethpage Blue, Yellow and Green courses
23. Banbury Golf Course
24. The Legends Golf Club
25. Goose Creek Golf Club
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