The Duties at Golf Camps

Golf camps offer golfers of all standards a chance to improve their game through intensive tuition. They also offer the people who work there experience in coaching, counseling, camp administration or all three. You get a chance to play on top-quality courses and work with other golf enthusiasts, some of whom may be professional players or coaches. If you work at a residential camp for kids, you also learn a great deal about teaching and childcare.

  1. Types of Camp

    • Camps differ according to whom they are for, how long they last, whether they are day or residential and which activities they include. Camp duties vary accordingly. Golf camps may be for adults, children or both -- single sex or mixed. They may be designed for people with little or no experience or a fairly high standard of golf, or they may take all comers and divide them into groups by ability. Adult camps may last a few days or a week, may take place at any time of year, and usually concentrate exclusively on golf. Junior camps may last from one to seven weeks during vacations, and may focus mainly on golf or include it among other sporting options.

    Instruction

    • A first putting lesson could lead to a lifelong enthusiasm for golf.

      You need to assess each camper's skill level, group them by ability and plan appropriate programs of tuition. You could be teaching complete beginners or near-champions, from age six to adult, as individuals or small groups. The camp program may cover basic skills like putting, pitching, chipping and sand play, the full range of strokes and clubs or particular advanced skills. Each day usually starts with warm-up exercises, followed by tuition and practice on the driving range, course and putting green. You demonstrate as well as instruct, and find ways to make it fun, inspirational and satisfying for everyone. Off the course, you may explain and discuss topics like tournaments, rules and etiquette.

    Counseling and Other Duties

    • Golf camp is about fun and friendship as well as golf.

      Junior golf camps go well beyond golf, and you may be expected to supervise or organize all sorts of other activities, from pool, football and swimming to cinema visits and barbecues. If you're put in charge of a dorm or cabin, you have to make sure everyone stays happy and busy, gets to the right places on time, acts civilized and doesn't feel left out.

      Other jobs at camp include green-keeping, selling golfing kits in the club shop, and doing repairs in the workshop. Still more include cooking, selling or serving food and drink, supervising staff, office administration, lifeguarding and physical therapy.

    Eligibility

    • Senior instructors may be professional golfers or coaches, but many of the seasonal staff are college students. Basically you must love playing golf and want to share your enthusiasm with others; some camps also expect formal teaching or coaching qualifications but these are not always essential. Most camps say you must be over 18 and have completed your freshman year. For junior camps you must enjoy dealing with kids of all ages and backgrounds, act as a capable and confident role model, have plenty of energy and be happy to join in with all activities. Camp America welcomes overseas students seeking summer jobs, but other camps say you must hold American citizenship or a green card.