Scott Stallings

In 2015 with @tngolf, I set out to end the "I can't play golf because it's expensive" excuse by creating the KPF. The mission is simple: Provide Knoxville's youth with unrestricted, free access to the game of golf 365 days a year. I invite you to enroll at knoxvillegolf.org/kpf

Matched the low amateur score at the 2026 Masters Made all of Vol nation proud this week 👏

I ran a poll asking what the most important factor in a junior golfer’s development is. I was shocked that everybody didn’t pick Parenting. Because after 25 years in competitive golf, having 3 kids of my own play D1 golf, coaching at Duke and Ohio State, and working with hundreds of junior golf families, here’s what I’ve observed, researched and learned: How you parent is the single biggest factor in your child’s junior golf success. Almost nobody shows parents how to do this well. I’m on a mission to change that. So, here are the 10 most important factors in elite golf parenting. From my chapter on Parenting in Becoming Elite: 1.Create a Safe Environment. Your home must be a safe harbor, not a pressure cooker. Your love is unconditional and separate from their golf score. Same affection after an 85 as after a 65. If your mood changes with their scorecard, you are creating a toxic environment that destroys their love for the game. And eventually your relationship. 2.The Car Ride Home. This is where most parents blow it. The car ride home is a sanctuary. A no golf talk zone. Enforce the 48 Hour Rule. Let them decompress, listen to music, stare out the window. The post round autopsy is one of the most damaging things a parent can do. 3.Body Language. Your kids are reading you on every single shot. Every. Single. Shot. A fist pump after a birdie tells them birdies are what matter. Slumped shoulders after a bogey tells them you’re disappointed. Your expression must be the same after a birdie as after a double bogey. Calm, positive, steady. You are the emotional thermostat. 4.Communication. The most important words when they come off the 18th green: I love to watch you play. Not “what did you shoot.” Not “what happened on 12.” After 48 hours, ask open ended questions. How do you feel about your round? What were you most proud of? What do you want to work on? You are a facilitator, not a judge. 5.Creating Ownership. A player led journey is sustainable. A parent led journey leads to burnout. If you are more invested than they are, that is a red flag. Motivation must come from within. Great parents ask questions instead of giving answers. The player who owns their development keeps improving long after the lessons end. 6. Giving them Freedom. Be a lighthouse, not a tugboat. At tournaments, stay at least 50 yards away. Do not walk the fairway with them or stand behind every green. Give them space to breathe and compete. Do not talk to them during the round unless they initiate. They are in their performance bubble. Do not burst it. 7.Allowing Them to Fail. Failure is not the enemy. It is a prerequisite to growth. Your child is more resilient than you think. They can handle failure and disappointment. They need you to believe in them and let them learn, not protect them from every setback. Removing the opportunity to fail is the real enemy. 8.Staying in Your Lane. You are the parent. Not the coach. Not the caddy. Not the swing analyst. These roles do not mix. Constantly offering swing advice creates a toxic triangle of confusion. Hire a professional. Trust them. Stay out of the way. Your job is love and support. Period. 9.Building an Identity Beyond Golf. If your child’s entire sense of self worth is tied to their golf score, you are setting them up for misery. They are a person who plays golf, not the other way around. Encourage other interests. Protect their social life. Let them go to school dances. Family vacations and time with siblings are sacred. A one dimensional identity is one of the three ingredients that causes burnout. 10.Playing the Long Game. This is a 10 year journey, not a 10 tournament sprint. You are not in a race to be the best 12 year old golfer. You are on a patient journey to see how good they can be at 18, at 22, and beyond. Slow down. The car rides, the early morning tee times, the post round ice cream. These are the moments you will remember. Savor them.

ONE MORE TIME FOR THE WARRIORS.

Come out to playyyyy #Gameday

@DonnyRoss1872 @johnnieO Submuscular transposition of the ulnar nerve.

@johnnieO @stallingsgolf @stallingsgolf can you please give me the expert details I’m quite intrigued

.@stallingsgolf big time model now

I LIKE US

Top 5 Patriots edit I’ve ever see, I could not be more fired up for today

WE ALL WE NEED.

Percy Warner 9 Nashville, Tn $19, walking only

@_willcompton You guys and Greg breaking down that 4th quarter Monday will be awesome. Vrabel!

THE PATRIOTS!!

@BussinWTB can’t wait to hear the break down Monday with Greg and the Boys on Vrabel’s @Patriots come back against the ravens. Go Pats!!

Team WU👊👊

🌟 Celebrating 25 Years of Excellence! Today we’re proud to honor Ryan Blair, @blair1927 our incredible Golf Course Superintendent, for his dedication, hard work, & pure passion! Please help congratulate & thank Ryan for a remarkable 25 yrs 💛⛳️ #HolstonHillscc #McConnellGolf

Go Vols 🍊🍊 always but man this is awesome.

Maxwell Wins Second Straight OVC Golfer of the Month! 📰: tinyurl.com/3yd5s95x #WingsUp

Haden Maxwell➡️ 4-time OVC Golfer of the Week! 📰: tinyurl.com/5s7kwuvw #WingsUp

@TaylorLewan77 #tiertalk Any talk of this show going full remote Lewan to titans staff will to Nebraska to reclaim what is rightfully his. #hypothetically break this down for us Shoutout to the vol fans on the bus for making it all happen

Good morning boys, happy Monday. About to shoot the weekend recap. Any questions, comments, spooky thoughts. 🎃 Use #tiertalk in the comments below.

The past stars of the TGA are back in Tennessee this week at the @simmonsbankopen looking to punch their ticket to the PGA TOUR! Good luck to these four former TGA Players of the Year and everyone playing in this week's tournament in Franklin, Tennessee!

Vote for @TransMissGolf champion Lance Simpson of @Vol_Golf for the Ben Hogan Award July Golfer of the Month by liking this post! And visit our Instagram and Facebook posts to vote on those platforms as well.

Fresh from the lab: Drive Special Project. New look. Boosted stability. Shop the limited run now: nobull.pxf.io/qz6XxL