Really dissapointed at the Golf Course Today

[ScienceBoy]

I was playing behind a guy and what I assumed was his dad, the father giving the advice and the kid hacking all over the place.

After pretty much every full shot the kid would sledge hammer his club into the ground, and I mean EVERY shot. He almost did it on the green a few times!

Walking between each shot the kid had his head down, looking at his feet. His father continuing to feed advice on everything but the kids attitude!

TBH I would'nt have taken any of the advice this guy gave, how he expected the kid to work on nearly everything at once I had no idea, 2 maybe 3 things would be fine but each shot brought fresh tips!

As you probably expected, he duffed most of his shots but strangly had the opposite attitude to the kid, until I saw him duff a chip... Ahh thats where the kid is picking it up from!

I was playing poorly for a couple of holes (after faldo'ing the first 9) dropping back to doubles and bogeys for a few holes (OTT swinging) but I was still enjoying myself!

I really hope this is a one off and very few young golfers behave like this!

They did let me through, but rather than watching my swing (I actually hit a good shot) the guy marched the kid off to an adjacent empty green to fat some more chips...

 

[Foxholer]

Ah! The joys of watching incompetent pushy parents completely screw their kids enjoyment - and lives!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Sadly once it's ingrained the kid will continue to act like a petulant fool thinking it's the done thing. He needs taking aside and told a few home truths as does pushy dad

 

[virtuocity]

Only a year ago I heard on the practice green, "you're not going home until you putt these in 2 or less..... PRACTICE SWING! HEAD DOWN! YOU'RE NOT EVEN TRYING".

Nice parenting, dude.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

There's a father and son that are regularly at the driving range I go to.

The kid is good and clearly love whacking golf balls, but his dad makes him take it so seriously! It's ridiculous. It's just going to mean at some point he'll give up and resent his dad too. It's all about having some fun.

 

[Odvan]

I was playing behind a guy and what I assumed was his dad, the father giving the advice and the kid hacking all over the place.

After pretty much every full shot the kid would sledge hammer his club into the ground, and I mean EVERY shot. He almost did it on the green a few times!

Walking between each shot the kid had his head down, looking at his feet. His father continuing to feed advice on everything but the kids attitude!

TBH I would'nt have taken any of the advice this guy gave, how he expected the kid to work on nearly everything at once I had no idea, 2 maybe 3 things would be fine but each shot brought fresh tips!

As you probably expected, he duffed most of his shots but strangly had the opposite attitude to the kid, until I saw him duff a chip... Ahh thats where the kid is picking it up from!

I was playing poorly for a couple of holes (after faldo'ing the first 9) dropping back to doubles and bogeys for a few holes (OTT swinging) but I was still enjoying myself!

I really hope this is a one off and very few young golfers behave like this!

They did let me through, but rather than watching my swing (I actually hit a good shot) the guy marched the kid off to an adjacent empty green to fat some more chips...

Quite sad to read that, actually.

Misplaced passion from the parent is common place in sport that can often lead to the child not wanting to participate anymore. Hopefully the kid actually wanted to be there in the first place and if so, you'd have thought that lessons would be the way to go for him, particularly if the Dad was a 'golfer' himself, you'd have hoped he'd realise that.

 

[Rooter]

Only a year ago I heard on the practice green, "you're not going home until you putt these in 2 or less..... PRACTICE SWING! HEAD DOWN! YOU'RE NOT EVEN TRYING".

Nice parenting, dude.

Done in the right way, (ie FUN) that kind of psychology would work, but not a threat. Offer a reward, "nail 3 putts and we will stop at mcdonalds" or whatever.

I take my kids to the range, OK they are much younger than the kid in the OP i think, All i insist on, is they stand on their matt and not wander off (for safety), dont mess about too much and the most important thing.... Hit it as hard as you can. Golf professionals are exactly that, professionals. Any more than roughly holding it right and standing in the right place is for the Pro, not me as a parent.

 

[delc]

Maybe the kid had watched Stenson deliberately smash a few clubs into the ground, or Rory tossing a 3-iron into a lake after poor shots on TV! Golf can be the most annoying game I know, but you have to learn to control your anger on the course, which is a good lesson in life anyway. Shame that some tour pros set such a bad example!

 

[chrisd]

It happens at the other end of the age decide too

I was at the range in the week and there was an old guy ( in his late 70's I'd guess) with his other half. She was typical of her age and size as a fairly new golfer and was slicing everything right, but wasn't long enough off the tee for it to have been a real problem on the course. He watched her for at least half an hour and criticised, quite vocally, her effort on every single shot.. He never once said anything positive to her and she had the patience of a Saint. Towards the end he demonstrated what he wanted her to do and frankly, his swing was worse than hers!

 

[NimbleNeil]

I get around my local 9 hole in about double the par.. laugh at every bad shot I do with my friend when they're there and laugh to myself when I'm playing alone.
I've gone from 91 to 71 over the course of 4 rounds, still terrible but probably my favourite way to spend a Saturday. I've only been able to go out about once a month due to A levels but this summer I hope to get down to the mid 50's and maybe next year I'll start making par. Definitely a game of attitude and self control rather than just getting a ball in a hole.

 

[virtuocity]

I get around my local 9 hole in about double the par.. laugh at every bad shot I do with my friend when they're there and laugh to myself when I'm playing alone.
I've gone from 91 to 71 over the course of 4 rounds, still terrible but probably my favourite way to spend a Saturday. I've only been able to go out about once a month due to A levels but this summer I hope to get down to the mid 50's and maybe next year I'll start making par. Definitely a game of attitude and self control rather than just getting a ball in a hole.

Great attitude. Remember this and maintain it as you shoot lower and lower. Good luck with the A levels.

 

[Pants]

I made the mistake of going down to the local range during the Easter Holidays. As you can imagine, lots of youngsters there from the mid teens doing the "Happy Gilmore" run up and hit it to the youngsters with the out of control but enthusiastic 180 degree turn being "coached" by their babysitters - sorry, grandparents.

I would imagine from the grandparents comments and obversations that most, if not all, had probably learnt their golf on the seafront windmills and clowns at Brighton. It was really quite heartbreaking listening to what was being said.

There were 2 youngsters a couple of bays away from me who, when leaving and walking past me, watched one of my drives that actually went fairly straight to about 180 yds (not bad for a girlie swing ). "Cor how did you do that?" (I paraphrased there). Trying to be a bit diplomatic which does not come easily to me, I said loud enough that the grandparents would hear that I had had lessons with the Pro there who did group lessons to keep costs down.

I rather suspect that that fell on deaf ears.