He is a featured instructor on The Golf Channel and the author of a new book, Golf For Everybody. To ask a question on any golf topic for a future lesson tee, please click on the link below. The younger the better. But it is important to keep the activity fun and at a comfortable time frame for the child. There is danger in turning them against golf by forcing them to practice much longer than their desired attention span.
Every child is different but they all respond well to positive encouragement.
Keeping them motivated is always more important than instilling the fundamentals. Depending on the child, formal instruction should begin between 8 and 12. Choosing a PGA professional that teaches good fundamentals and the importance of a short game is what I would look for in an instructor. Good teachers make practice fun and your kids will be excited to go and work on improving their swing and game. Avoid instructors that seem very analytical in their approach to teaching.