Kids and Golf

[flandango]

My two year old son is golf mad and spends to much time on this forum sitting on my lap. He absolutly loves it and has his own PW and putter to his size. Getting working on his short game early.

My little girl has also expressed an interest over the past couple of weeks. They will both sit down and watch the golf for as long as it's on.

My question is at what age do you think I could take them to the range? She is 5 in july and very mature and well behaved.

I just don't want her launching little clubs down the range if her grip etc isn't strong enough???

 

[HTL]

Don't worry about her grip mate, you can hang a new born baby on the washing line with it grip!, kids have awesome hands strength for their size.

As for getting them started just go for it, just get them down the range for a few whacks before you hit a few quiet pitch an put courses. It will help both of them develop key skills later in life like hand eye co ordination and respect for others.

 

[ricardodaintino]

My two year old loves it too! I recomend a game called gator golf. Its about £10, they putt into the gators mouth and it throw the ball back if they get it in.

 

[flandango]

HA HA I brought him gator golf for christmas! Its great.

I think i'll take her down the range tomorrow.

 

[ricardodaintino]

Who plays it more though????

I love it!

 

[Cernunnos]

I've talked to some that think golf should be left till a young person is in their teens. But tbqh I really think the earlier the better, especially while they are showing an interest.

I really wish I'd have been given the opertunity when I was a few years old when I showed my first interests in the game. The amount of 5 & 6 year olds I see being given group lessons around the putting & chipping green & taken en-mass around the course by our head pro on Tuesdays.

I say start them young when they are interested in golf & can easily pick things up almost via osmosis.

 

[madandra]

Little Miss Mad has been going to the range since she was 3. She is now 5 and can catch the odd cracker and knock it 75 yards.

 

[shanker]

I've talked to some that think golf should be left till a young person is in their teens.

And I would say that they were right! Little kids don't have the muscle to swing a driver and the courses are too long for them. Wait till they are 13 or 14. Faldo started at 15 and Greg Norman at 16.

 

[RGuk]

Miss mini-RG started about 5-6. I think I still have the clubs. Not too often and just for a short time. I didn't try any coaching....

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think times have moved on. When I was 5 or so I wouldn't have been able to play as the only option open to me would have been a cut down club and I don't think I would have had the strength to swing it.

You can pick up clubs for 5 year olds and up at most good ranges which a specifically designed in terms of length shaft and grip size and would be the way to go. They are only about £20-30 per club so my recommendation would be to get the 2year old the smallest one they do and let him try. The 5 year old may need a different one depending on her height etc

Don't over teach them. Just try and get them to stand still as they hit it and let them swing and hit it any which way until you are sure they are enjoying it. There will be plenty of time for proper coaching later.

 

[Leftie]

Wait till they are 13 or 14. Faldo started at 15 and Greg Norman at 16.

And Tiger was ???? 3 or 4 ?

If the little ones are happy to try, let them. No harm done and they will enjoy quality time with their dad and/or mum. At worst, they will eventually find the opposite sex. At best they will have found frustration for life .

 

[Herbie]

I have a 10 yr old boy and a 7yr old girl. Both showed interest when they were 4 and 3 respectively. Then they gave up after a while showing interest, then it came back to my son when he was about 7/8 and he has a lovely swing, then he went off it just after his first few rounds on a course where his best was 104, bearing in mind he only hit the ball a max of 150 yds then. Its been over a year now but he fancies playing again, so we will.

Thats what kids do as Im sure you know, all the encouragement you could give mine wouldnt keep them at it, I could force them but that would be wrong to me.

So all I would say is expect fickle enthusiasm, and be ready to spot if they do it for pleasure or for you.

So my advice is take them, show them, let them do it, but at their ages dont expect too much, they will get very tired very quickly and you have to spot that.

 

[Imurg]

The Boy likes to go to the range to try and hit the 50 yard pole! Then we go putting and play games - nearest the pin, stop the ball before the edge of the green, that sort of thing.

Once he's stronger we can move on. One local course has a short par 3 course that we are going to start frequenting in the Spring.

 

[Clansman]

My son who is 7 and daughter who is 11 love to come to the range with me.They don't have a great swing, but that will come with time. They love to try and hit the 50yrd marker. They also love to come to the local putting green.

I encourage them when they are there, but would never pressurise them into playing if they don't want to as that is the wrong thing to do and would put them off for life. It also gives me some precious quality time with them.

 

[theeaglehunter]

Get them started as soon as possible I say. As long as they want to.

One of my biggest regrets is taking the game up at 15 as I felt that people of the same age that had started earlier had such a big advantage. I would guess that the age of 7 would be a good age to start taking kids to the course. And stick to the range / practice ground before that.

As others say though, I wouldn't try and coach them into a perfect swing immediately just get them a feel for swinging a club etc.

 

[haplesshacker]

My 2 year old son has some cheap plastic clubs; driver, iron and putter. He loves them. On his own he holds it like an ice hockey player and hits the plastic golf air balls blimin' hard. BTW he's not seen Happy Gilmore yet either!!

I just tink we should move to the US. He has an amazing throw (quarterback in the NFL), can smack a golf ball ice hockey stylee, and loves my golf clubs. He's tough as old boots. Knock him down, and he just gets straight back up and gets on with whatever sport he's doing, football etc.

I just hope that I can provide the support required. He's unlikely to turn out to be a desk jockey!!

As for the OP. As long as they enjoy it, have fun with it, and don't make it 'work like' for them, let them develop it as they wish.

 

[Herbie]

Kids are great when they enjoy stuff, mine make me look such a novice when they manage to cream one , my son has a better swing than I ever did .

 

[Canfordhacker]

My 11 year old has lessons and loves it. We have a par 3 course at my club, and he can't get enough of it. Trust me, it puts the pressure on me when he hits a green occasionally! We also played in a father/sone alternate shot comp last year, and it was a treat for us both.

Can't wait til he develops physically and hits it further - it will be quality time together.

 

[forefortheday]

I play now and then with a mate from work and his 12 yr old lad.

You know something I spend my time encouraging him and applauding his good shots that I worry less about my own game and as a result enjoy it more.

Last time we played he chipped in on the 18th after zigzagging it up the fairway the look on his face was worth it!

 

[haplesshacker]

I think you sum it up quite nicely there.

It's not about whether our kid is the next 'Tiger', but about sharing something with them that you both enjoy, and take pleasure from.

There are so many insular activities (computor games, facebook etc), that rob us of quality time with our kids, that any sport that we can do with them is quality time. It teaches them respect for others and themselves, it teaches self discipline, a sense of fairness, and the horrid reality that life is competitive.

Lets hope for the sake of our sanity that this generation grow up as better balanced individuals than the group that cause trouble, hanging around outside the chippy.

The future isn't so much in their hands. In in ours.