What is biological age and growth curve, how are these two factors related and why are they important for the golfing of children and adolescents?
Chronological age vs. biological age
Chronological age - number of years and days from birth. This can e.g. be determined by calendar.
Biological age - degree of physical, mental, cognitive and emotional maturity of the child. To determine this biological age, one must view and assess skeletal development, sexual development, growth rate, functional movement patterns, basic movement skills, and sports skills of the child.
It is important to be able to distinguish between biological and chronological age, which is a clear definition of growth and maturity:
- Growth: increase in height, body weight, body fat and limb length of the child
- Maturity: A process in which the child's body changes and becomes more and more like an adult's. There is no need for signs of growth when the body of a child matures.
Experts then differentiate further in:
- Premature children: e.g. 8-year-olds who are equal in behavior and performance to a 10-year-old
- Late-matured children: e.g. 8-year-olds who are equal in behavior and performance to a 6-year-old
This shows that between 2 8-year-old children can be up to 4 years difference in their physical development. Parents who have multiple children can often agree with us in this topic from their own experience.
What if my child is a "laggard", does it have less chances to succeed?
No, that's definitely not the case. Studies have shown that so-called "laggards" have even more potential to do sports at a high level. However, it is important not to let latecomers participate in competitions too early as they are physically inferior to other children of the same age. Only between the ages of 10 and 13 do they develop a sense of their abilities and can actually be realistic about themselves compared to others. So, if your child is a laggard and you're in competitions before the age of 10, your child will believe that if it's giving everything, it can win. However, this is not possible due to physical inferiority. As a result, your child no longer believes in winning at all.
Growth rate and growth curve
The growth rate of your child is directly related to the biological age. Growth rate is the rate (cm / year) at which a child grows. The growth curve then represents the growth rate of a child.
We can therefore determine the biological age of a child by reading in which phase of the growth curve the child is located. Of course, the more data we have about a child, the more accurate the prediction will be. Dr. Ernst Zwick recommends keeping a record of at least 18 months in which the size of the child is measured every two months to produce a representative prediction. The graph below shows a growth curve used to determine the biological age (in this case about 10 years).
How is the growth rate calculated?
At the beginning you need at least 2 measurements, which were done every 2 months. The best age to start the measurements is 6 years. Now a small calculation example:
Measurement 1 (A) = 125 cm - performed on January 1st
Measurement 2 (B) = 125.5 cm - performed on March 1st
Calculation: B-Ax6, or: (125.5-125) x6 = 3 cm / year
How do we use this knowledge in our training?
We, Junior Golf World, have developed a new training concept based on their biological age and growth curve. Here, your children train in groups that are organized by biological age, rather than traditional age groups. The advantage is that the children within a group are in the same phase of the growth curve and thus all have the same physical prerequisites. This makes the same exercises useful to all children within a group, and everyone can perform these exercises at a similar level and speed. This in turn leads to a more efficient training and more fun and motivation of your children!
There is only one thing to say: "Have fun, play golf!"
