Juniors how gooood are they.. ....

[hamshanker]

Just come back from short trip to Wales and 2 of the days we had junior comps behind us.....

First 1 was at Nefyn,didnt see many of their shots,but later on in the club house they had their prize presentation and it was a great to see 8/9/10 yr olds (girls n boys)getting up for a ball and certificate for nearest pin etc and the joy on their faces was something else,couldnt help but get involved with applause for them....

Then at Llangollen,we had them playing in County Championship.Was able to see alot more of their shots and i was gob smacked just at how good all these juniors were....
Had a 2ball behind us,and my mate can hit it fairly long but these juniors on alot of holes where putting their drives 50yrds passed his best,and then peppering the pin,amazing......

Spoke with 1 lad who had just finished,he was 15 played off 2 and hit 75 from the whites and the course was tough if you didnt stay on the short stuff,and speaking about it in the 19th that if thats the standard through-out the country then there's definately 1 or 2 more young Mcllroys out there to come through.

 

[CMAC]

yes they are good at 14-17, they were good many years ago as well with their blades and wee balls (no jokes pls) I was one as well, but of course "the older I get the better I used to be" DV

 

[Karl102]

I hear Our junior captain I after a scholarship to America. A friend of mine was plaing with him the other month and at the first tee my fmate asked him what his handicap was and he said "2 right handed, 11 left handed".
Hate him.....

 

[Fader]

Young lad plays at our club but I believe represents Rochester & Cobham Park when playing in big events is a lad called Jack Colegate. Thinks he's 18/19 and plays off of +4, I got to see him play 1st hand recently as he was out in our club championship by all accounts didn't play his best but came in with a gross 65, -6. My mind boggles at being able to shoot scores like that with my full on A game, let alone with just getting it round.

 

[Minhoca]

I was watching a couple of juniors at the range the other week and they just looked effortless. I think as you get older the more you think and the more pressure you put yourself under. If there's anything i learnt whilst watching them it was ' GO WITH THE FLOW'.. they were like water!

 

[Evesdad]

Yeah we have quite a few good juniors, one is just 15 and plays off 5, then again his dad is the pro!!

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Evesdad,
the scary thing is that @ 15 playing off 5 is nothing. I've known quite a few lads younger playing off + handicaps and not make it at a higher level.
The steps between each level of golf are enourmous.
A lad at my current club, off +2, is always top 5 in ranked amateur tournaments in the midlands, and several national age group tournaments and is only ranked around number 2,000 in the amateur world rankings. Yet to me, a decent club golfer, he seems absoluely brilliant.

 

[Evesdad]

Yeah his dad tells me he's just not that driven, loves playing etc and plays loads of junior comps and opens etc but doesn't have the drive to grind out a round if things don't quite go to plan.

 

[Hobbit]

I ran the club's Junior section for a good number of years. There's usually 2 or 3 in any given 'school year' make it to low single figures in their mid teens and maybe 1 every few years that gets to + figures. Most of them find beer and women for a few years, then come back to the game only to disappear off when marriage and mortgage start to bite into their time and money.

Most, if they take the game up early enough, have the potential to be very good. But yes, seeing them collect their first prize is like watching them open their presents at Xmas - brilliant! And watching them play without fear... what bunker? Just fire at the pin.

There's the odd temper tantrum, or genuine (childish) stupidity, but they're great to watch.

 

[CMAC]

And watching them play without fear... what bunker? Just fire at the pin.

Whats this Playing without fear you talk off?

My vision right now is like the terminators, it flashes up all the hazards, potential threats, trees, OB in red then tells me what the outcome will be if I don't hit a perfect shot...........no pressure!

 

[6inchcup]

we have a few county players at my club all nice kids BUT god do they let you know how good they are,but saying that when i first got into single figures ( is it really 35 years ago) i told everyone i met whether they played golf or not.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It is so hard to make it, even at lower levels. Even off a + handicap there's no guarantee of golfing glory. Many drop away and find other pursuits, work, family etc. I think as long as they are enjoying it at a young age and aren't getting too much pressure from parents or clubs then let them have their head and see what they can produce. They all make it look so easy and they hole 4 footers like shelling peas.