(
It’s tee time for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. While golf professionals and enthusiasts make their way to the green, we’re putting together our own mini-golf course for future golf masters, tall and small.
The Pete and Alice Dye–designed Golf Experience (presented by Henry and Christine Camferdam) is the first mini-golf course to be designed by the renowned duo. The course doesn’t open until 2018 with the rest of the Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience®, so there are no hole-in-ones on record yet—but there is a hole of one. Check it out: 
Pretty neat, huh? This hole is modeled after hole #11 in the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort in French Lick, Indiana. Ultimately we’ll have four, nine-hole mini-golf courses ranging from beginner to advanced levels.
While we keep building, you can prep your aspiring pro golfers with health knowledge and best practices. Pediatric Hospitalist at Riley Hospital for Children, Jonathan Salisbury provides a few tips:
1. Always warm-up before you begin your round of golf.
Common injury areas are the wrists, knees, and the back. A warm up can consist of anything that increases your heart rate or prepares your muscles for swinging a golf club. Rotational stretching of the back and hips can also prepare you for your round. Most injuries will improve with rest, ice, and a pain-reliever like Ibuprofen.
2. A weighted golf club can help that warm-up.
The best way to avoid injuries in golf is to stretch before every round. Some golfers will use a weighted golf club to loosen up their muscles to prevent injury. If you do feel pain of any kind while playing golf it is important to take a break from playing until the pain has resolved.
3. Try other cardiovascular exercise—and practice!
Golf is a great way to get exercise, especially if you walk the course instead of riding in a golf cart. Anything that increases your cardiovascular endurance, like running or swimming, will help your golf game. The best way to enhance your golf play is to practice as much as you can!
4. Wear sunscreen!
Golf is a great way for kids to be active on a sunny day. Like any outdoor activity, it’s essential to always apply sunscreen before starting your round. The American Association of Pediatrics recommends using at least SPF 15 that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. 18 holes of golf typically takes at least four hours, and it’s important to reapply sunscreen after the first nine holes. In addition, wearing a brimmed hat and sunglasses can further protect you from the sun.
5. Have fun!
At The Pete and Alice Dye–Designed Golf Experience, it’s all about learning and loving the game! Have fun with family, friends, and may the best mini-golfer win!
The Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience® opens in the spring of 2018. Memberships to the museum now include both the sports experience and the museum. Want to keep up with all the construction? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat!
