Fun golf games you can play with your young children?

[Bamberdele2.0]

Two of my children (5 & 10) have recently become ‘golfers’ due to a fantastic scheme that allowed all junior members at my nearest municipal course the opportunity to receive free golf lessons. My kids absolutely loved these sessions mainly due to how good the instructor was with them all.

Unfortunately this all came to a halt yesterday. You can imagine how devastated all the parents have been. I don’t even have the minerals to break it to my kids yet. The WhatsApp groups feel like someone has just died, grief pouring out of every message. It’s been a tough day.

Which brings me back to the forum.

Seen as tomorrow’s session has been indefinitely cancelled I am having to wing my tribe on my own. I have clubs and a basket of balls and bit of turf in my garden.

So the question is, can anyone recommend some tried and tested fun games to play in the garden with them that revolves around golf?

Better yet, some fun games I could take onto the course? We have a round booked in the late afternoon and I normally let them putt out when I’m near the green but I’m hoping I can lay down some sort of structure to it this time. They normally just try to get the ball in the hole before the other one does. It’s a basically speed golf and complete chaos.

There’s a tiny bit of desperation oozing out of this post, I put all my eggs in one basket when it came to my children’s golf ‘tuition’ and now I’m at a loose end bang on time for the summer holidays. For someone that’s relatively new to the game it’s daunting to all of a sudden try and take on the role of ‘teacher’ (only just learnt what going back on my line / in line with the flag meant).

Surely there has to be a small target audience on this forum that can relate to this thread. I know there’s a few coffin dodgers on here but once upon a time you old boys were in my shoes at some point

Thanks for reading and any help appreciated

 

[Golf is fun]

I posted about a similar topic in another thread, so have a look at that, it may be helpful. I don't post much, so should be easy to find.

The biggest general piece of advice I would give is let them drive it (in terms of when they want to do it and how much they do before stopping) and make it fun.

 

[bobmac]

Tricky.
The first thing I would say, as far as kids are concerned, dad's know nothing.
Don't get too close, too involved.
Be available to answer any questions but don't be ''in charge''
Let them play against each other and if that means speed golf, so be it but give the youngster a head start.
I would advise against anything structured, especially for the youngest except maybe a few safety tips.
Ideally, get some of their friends round, let them play but do it from a distance.

 

[SteveW86]

I’m introducing my 4 year old daughter atm. I’ve bought her a little wedge, told her I’d order one specially for her with her initials on it (SW), she loves it .

Not playing any games with her atm, but I’ve taken her to the course a few times in the evening when it’s empty and we play a few holes with her just walking with me and hitting the ball along the fairway. She holds the club all wrong, but I get shouted at if I try and correct her.

So far she is loving it and keeps asking when we can go again.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Driving range, Driving range, Driving range...

Don't take new and young golfers out on the course for 3 or 4 hours - it'll bore them to death.

Let them hear the sound of the ball dropping into the hole on the putting green - gradually increasing length of putts.

It'll be different for every kid, so you've just got to figure out what works for your own situation.

 

[abjectplop]

The Trackman Range near me is fantastic....there are screens in each bay and there's 3 kids games on it where they have to hit and catch monsters, fish, or smash up cars in a scrapyard. My 5 year old loves it.

 

[Golf is fun]

I actually disagree with the driving range being the best option. It's more boring than a course. The trackman games are great though, magic pond is a favourite.

Taking a young beginner out on the course is fine, just don't do it expecting to play a normal 18 holes yourself. Play from whatever distance out is appropriate for how the child can hit the ball (could be 5 yards, could be 300 yards), play 1-9 holes dependent on what they fancy, accept that sometimes spotting a deer or raking bunkers will hold more fascination than the golf itself. Make being out on the course a fun adventure, not a boring 3-4 hours of watching dad play whilst not wanting to be there. Obviously don't do this at peak times!