londonlewis
Tour Rookie
Love this!
Encouraging a Junior Golfer
- Thread starter slowhand
- Start date
Love this!
slowhand
Head Pro
Some really great comments here. To be honest, I'm not bothered how good a golfer he turns out to be, as long as he enjoys it (if he stops enjoying it I won't force him to play). For me as well it's about having some father/son time, just the two of us on the course once a week. It has rapidly turned into the high point of my week and I really look forward to Thursday evening!
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ColchesterFC
Journeyman Pro
Well today it happened. A day that I thought was a fair distance off. Took my 6 year old son for a round on a Par 3 course. For the first time ever he managed to halve a hole against me on the very first hole. And then things got even better for him on the 11th when he got a 4 against my 5. Amazing how happy he looked when he realised that he had beaten me. Even better for him he beat my neighbour who played with us on the 15th hole and halved with him on the 18th. And beat his previous best round the course by 23 shots.
pokerjoke
Money List Winner
That's great mate hes well on his way.
I took mine to the course today as usual and we did 9 holes.
I give him 4 shots on every hole and he beat me 7-2.
On the downside I was showing him how to drive and as I moved away he took a shot
and whacked me on my dodgy shoulder and now im sitting he unable to lift my arm.
Its bringing back all the memories of my 7 dislocations[feel pretty sick].
What's it like being the second best golfer in the house?
pokerjoke
Money List Winner
ColchesterFC
Journeyman Pro
I'm just glad that Mrs Colch doesn't play. Although my 4 year old came with us today and I let him play the 18th hole. 115 yard Par 3. He took 7 so it won't be very long before I'm the 3rd best golfer in the house.
How the mighty fall. Great news though and his face must have been a picture when he beat you
Piece
Tour Winner
Great story.
love hearing stuff like this as I've got two boys, 7&5, who I'm trying to get into the game. They've been down the range occasionally and I give them the basics. It's all about fun really.In line with the above story, I took my eldest, 7, on his very first course whilst we were on holiday last week in Cromer. It was a pitch n putt place, with all holes around 40-50 yards, using one wedge and a putter to go round. On his very first shot he stuck it to within 2ft and knocked in the birdie!! :whoo:. The rest of the round he had a few pars and really enjoyed it. So much so, that he asked if we could play again...:thup:
We couldn't play there and then again due to time, but we did return to play on the last day (Thurs just gone). On hole 7 he pitched on the green and it rolled to the hole, hitting the pin! :clap: It didn't drop though....he was gutted, saying that counts doesn't it?!? :rofl: He rolled in the birdie.
. Then on hole 13 I said to him, "this is the one, knock it close". He hit a scuttler, rolling right to left, bobbling up n down on the parks fairway. After a thump on the back of the hole and flag, it dropped! A hole-in-one on his second ever round! To say he was chuffed is an understatement, particularly as he has his name on the honours board for this season! :clap:
Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
It is always funny when a junior eclipses the parent at golf.
I did it to my dad aged about 14 when he played off four and my daughter did it to me aged about 13 when I also played off four.
She laughed at that as instead of her being recognised as 'Doon's' daughter, I became recognised as 'Doons daughter's' dad.
Re Op.
Keep it fun and don't expect too much, if they are keen they will not need any 'encouragement'.
I did it to my dad aged about 14 when he played off four and my daughter did it to me aged about 13 when I also played off four.
She laughed at that as instead of her being recognised as 'Doon's' daughter, I became recognised as 'Doons daughter's' dad.
Re Op.
Keep it fun and don't expect too much, if they are keen they will not need any 'encouragement'.
V
vkurup
Guest
I think most have already mentioned, make it fun and dont force them. At this stage, they have a very short attention span and are easily distracted. I dont have the answers, but can share things that I have observed while going around with my 5 year old
1) They play if their friends play. Hence team sports is so much more fun. Golf can be boring as you are on your own. So the best way to start is to have group lessons. My son went to group lessons and they just had fun. He also went to half day camps where the chief attraction was being able to choose the flavour of ice cream they get at the end. I can (nearly) say that he did not learn much during these sessions. But it got him initiated. It is also a good time for each of them to show off how far (20-25 yards) they can hit. Our range has a lot of different targets so they will aim at different things.
2) You need a coach who can train kids. Training young ones is very frustrating as they wont listen to you 80% of the time and are easily distracted. We have a couple of coaches who train kids. I have seen some others struggle as they get too technical or frustrated themselves
3) Once the kids get a hang of it during the group lessons, aim to have one on one with a good kids coach. It is helpful.
4) Boys will try and impress dad, so if you on the range with him, spend time to watch him. One of my friend goes to the range with his son - but is either lost in his phone or is the next bay practicing his own swing. When we are go to the range, we use the same bay. It is likely that I get to hit only 10 balls but it is worth it. Also worth having him to do other things like getting the balls from the machine et al. Kids love it.
5) Boys and girls learn at a different pace. The girls in his class have a better ability to follow lessons and practice, while the boys are happy to lick golf balls and build sand castles in the bunker.
6) They will go off the boil... my son will go months with no interest in golf and then suddenly he will switch and wont want to go home after hitting 100 balls in the range!! If they dont want to play or practice, dont force them.
7) Reward, Reward, Reward.. having a reward system works. It could be an ice lolly at the end of practice (if he achieves something) or playing another course, or lego or watching Scooby Doo..
8) You WILL get frustrated. They will learn and unlearn at their speed, so you end up getting frustrated that they have already forgotten what you taught them yesterday. Need patients.
9) Try to incorporate non-golfing things into golf. We have a driving bay in the garage - the target is to aim at the Red Angry Bird cut out. This morning I was surprised that my son was showing my dad how to chip .. by chipping into an overturned (spare) kitchen waste box!!.
10) You need something at home that you help reinforce the game,.... put some golf on TV, GM copies, have some putters around to practice carpet putting. We recently put some nets in the garage and it has been used a fair bit. Yesterday, my son figured it would be fun to run and hit it the ball, so he did that. I nearly died laughing, but did not stop him. Later in the day, I showed him clips of Happy Gilmore. This morning I filmed this.. https://youtu.be/l2ucssLCN5I
I guess there is no silver bullet, but to go along and help them discover the game (and you will discover it a bit more yourself). Good luck..
Edit>> I just realised that we could do this as a feature in the mag!!
1) They play if their friends play. Hence team sports is so much more fun. Golf can be boring as you are on your own. So the best way to start is to have group lessons. My son went to group lessons and they just had fun. He also went to half day camps where the chief attraction was being able to choose the flavour of ice cream they get at the end. I can (nearly) say that he did not learn much during these sessions. But it got him initiated. It is also a good time for each of them to show off how far (20-25 yards) they can hit. Our range has a lot of different targets so they will aim at different things.
2) You need a coach who can train kids. Training young ones is very frustrating as they wont listen to you 80% of the time and are easily distracted. We have a couple of coaches who train kids. I have seen some others struggle as they get too technical or frustrated themselves
3) Once the kids get a hang of it during the group lessons, aim to have one on one with a good kids coach. It is helpful.
4) Boys will try and impress dad, so if you on the range with him, spend time to watch him. One of my friend goes to the range with his son - but is either lost in his phone or is the next bay practicing his own swing. When we are go to the range, we use the same bay. It is likely that I get to hit only 10 balls but it is worth it. Also worth having him to do other things like getting the balls from the machine et al. Kids love it.
5) Boys and girls learn at a different pace. The girls in his class have a better ability to follow lessons and practice, while the boys are happy to lick golf balls and build sand castles in the bunker.
6) They will go off the boil... my son will go months with no interest in golf and then suddenly he will switch and wont want to go home after hitting 100 balls in the range!! If they dont want to play or practice, dont force them.
7) Reward, Reward, Reward.. having a reward system works. It could be an ice lolly at the end of practice (if he achieves something) or playing another course, or lego or watching Scooby Doo..
8) You WILL get frustrated. They will learn and unlearn at their speed, so you end up getting frustrated that they have already forgotten what you taught them yesterday. Need patients.
9) Try to incorporate non-golfing things into golf. We have a driving bay in the garage - the target is to aim at the Red Angry Bird cut out. This morning I was surprised that my son was showing my dad how to chip .. by chipping into an overturned (spare) kitchen waste box!!.
10) You need something at home that you help reinforce the game,.... put some golf on TV, GM copies, have some putters around to practice carpet putting. We recently put some nets in the garage and it has been used a fair bit. Yesterday, my son figured it would be fun to run and hit it the ball, so he did that. I nearly died laughing, but did not stop him. Later in the day, I showed him clips of Happy Gilmore. This morning I filmed this.. https://youtu.be/l2ucssLCN5I
I guess there is no silver bullet, but to go along and help them discover the game (and you will discover it a bit more yourself). Good luck..
Edit>> I just realised that we could do this as a feature in the mag!!
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