The Future of Golf

[garyinderry]

I agree rooter. I have posted here in past about trying to get kids into golf at primary school. in fact in our first year of secondary school we had a golf club for beginners. No teaching, just an organised time on. Saturday at a 9 hole golf club. We went there for a couple of years until the cold and wet feet of winter golf spoiled our buzz.

Many of these same people are now returning to the sport in later life.


In a way we are both right. Plant the seed young then bag them for life when they are older.

 

[Slab]

As a parent of a 7yr old and a 5yr old who play a little (at this stage, just with me at the driving range) Children do not need a full set of clubs, clothes, bags etc. A kids 7 iron brand new from American golf or similar are circa 20 quid. They only need one club to get them into it! I would also suggest a putter, as putting the ball in the hole is as fun as whacking it for my lad.

So 20-40 quid set up costs, and 5 quid a lesson. Thats a hell of a lot cheaper than my 7yr old daughters stage school she goes to! And probably about the same (if not less) than any other sporting activity for kids (football, Ballet, rugby etc etc)

And with Dunlop adult clubs starting at £7 any iron, £15 for a driver £10 for a hybrid, £7 for a putter etc (as well as junior stuff) it really isn't expensive to kit yourself out. Its only us forumers that look in our FC's bag to see what toys they have, most golfers couldn't give a hoot

So I don't think clubs/clothing is a cost issue

 

[FairwayDodger]

Thats a hell of a lot cheaper than my 7yr old daughters stage school she goes to!

You need to get her into golf! Don't put your daughter on the stage Mrs Rooterington!

 

[Slab]

Actually about 18 months ago I kitted the wife out with a FW, Hybrid, 8 iron & putter for about £30 total (so that she had a few clubs to hit if she came to the range) what stops her playing 18 holes is two things: ability & cost of green fees

One is too low and t'other is too high

 

[MendieGK]

Any golf club that really wants to invest in there future, will offer free membership to juniors whose parents are full members at the club. Simple.

I got into golf at age 10 because my local council course offered an Off-peak season ticket that was £30 a year!!! you were able to play anytime after 10am during the week and anytime after 2pm at the weekend.

Safe to say, i spent 90% of my summer holidays up there, parents would drop me off on way to work lunch box and a couple of £ in the pocket.

They knew where i was and didnt have to worry about what i was doing.

 

[MendieGK]

in addition, i find that most courses in my area are doing kids clubs, lessons etc. That are really engaging.

The pro at my local driving range is genuinely amazing. Always coaching, doing half terms clubs and getting the kids out on the course for 9 holes on regular occasions. They do matches with teams designated Europe and USA to get the competitive juices flowing. The Kids love it.

I guarantee a large proportion of these juniors will go on a join the club once they are older.

 

[Rooter]

You need to get her into golf! Don't put your daughter on the stage Mrs Rooterington!

She does play golf too, but if you were to meet her, you would see why she loves stage school too! Thats a bargain at 324 quid a term (once a week for school term!)

Point here is, if your kid loves something, you will (if you can) pay for it. Cost, I dont think is the issue.

If i had a pair of balls, I would love to set up and franchise "kids golf" (must think of a better name). Have a look at the other sports versions:

http://www.rugbytots.co.uk/

http://www.littlekickers.co.uk/

http://www.puma-uk.com/

Just a snap shot, and I have used these examples as they have all taken money from me!

Kids Golf, fun indoor (school sports hall on a saturday/Sunday morning) Plastic golf clubs or even proper ones with air balls or larger than standard foam ones?, targets to hit, some very very basic instructions with the focus on Fun, team work, discipline (ie mental focus). Your little johnny can buy the kit for 40 quid (broker branded gear from say dunlop, adidas etc) and its 6.50 a session. All kit included, but your little Johnny can buy the stuff we use to practice at home. Once they get to aged 9 say, you feed them into the local clubs.

I'm looking for 100,000 and thats for 15% equity....

 

[Tommo21]

I know most clubs in my area are struggling to get junior members, they’re seeing a big decline. IMO, It’s relatively cheap but in today’s world most youngsters are taught the lazy way of doing things. I know some lads who stay only a few holes distance away from the club and they won’t walk home anymore, they phone their parents. One asked me for a lift and he only has 500 yards to go through the side gate at the course. Driving him home is the long way. He phoned his mum, it’s laziness to the extreme. I’m being serious, today’s world is about sitting in a room playing the X box, surfing the net or whatever. Parents are getting peace so don’t realise or care what’s happening.

 

[FairwayDodger]

She does play golf too, but if you were to meet her, you would see why she loves stage school too! Thats a bargain at 324 quid a term (once a week for school term!)

Point here is, if your kid loves something, you will (if you can) pay for it. Cost, I dont think is the issue.

Indeed, 'twas but a joke. I don't have kids but would agree with what you're saying.

If i had a pair of balls, I would love to set up and franchise "kids golf" (must think of a better name). Have a look at the other sports versions:

http://www.rugbytots.co.uk/

http://www.littlekickers.co.uk/

http://www.puma-uk.com/

Just a snap shot, and I have used these examples as they have all taken money from me!

Kids Golf, fun indoor (school sports hall on a saturday/Sunday morning) Plastic golf clubs or even proper ones with air balls or larger than standard foam ones?, targets to hit, some very very basic instructions with the focus on Fun, team work, discipline (ie mental focus). Your little johnny can buy the kit for 40 quid (broker branded gear from say dunlop, adidas etc) and its 6.50 a session. All kit included, but your little Johnny can buy the stuff we use to practice at home. Once they get to aged 9 say, you feed them into the local clubs.

I'm looking for 100,000 and thats for 15% equity....

http://www.clubgolfscotland.com/

 

[MendieGK]

She does play golf too, but if you were to meet her, you would see why she loves stage school too! Thats a bargain at 324 quid a term (once a week for school term!)

Point here is, if your kid loves something, you will (if you can) pay for it. Cost, I dont think is the issue.

If i had a pair of balls, I would love to set up and franchise "kids golf" (must think of a better name). Have a look at the other sports versions:

http://www.rugbytots.co.uk/

http://www.littlekickers.co.uk/

http://www.puma-uk.com/

Just a snap shot, and I have used these examples as they have all taken money from me!

Kids Golf, fun indoor (school sports hall on a saturday/Sunday morning) Plastic golf clubs or even proper ones with air balls or larger than standard foam ones?, targets to hit, some very very basic instructions with the focus on Fun, team work, discipline (ie mental focus). Your little johnny can buy the kit for 40 quid (broker branded gear from say dunlop, adidas etc) and its 6.50 a session. All kit included, but your little Johnny can buy the stuff we use to practice at home. Once they get to aged 9 say, you feed them into the local clubs.

I'm looking for 100,000 and thats for 15% equity....

I'm Out.

 

[bluewolf]

Just make it quicker.. Make the Pros quicker, then the amateurs.. 3 - 3 & a 1/2 hours should be more than enough for any round. Penalties for anyone taking longer (in the pro ranks).. It's just too blinkin slow by half... I'd be up at the course now but I know I'd struggle to get 9 in before I had to leave..
PLAY QUICKER!!!!!

 

[Rooter]

http://www.clubgolfscotland.com/

Thats awesome! And great to see a big company backing it! I would go one stage further though and take it to the people, the parents still probably have pre-defined opinions on taking their kids to a golf club (maybe less so in Scotland, where in my Southern Softie opinion, golf has less of a snobbery reputation in Scotland say than surrey). Get it at the local village hall, secondary school sports hall etc..

 

[Rooter]

I'm Out.

Didn't want you anyway. I wanted the woman that obviously smoked 80 fags a day, cruella de ville or whatever her name is!

 

[FairwayDodger]

Thats awesome! And great to see a big company backing it! I would go one stage further though and take it to the people, the parents still probably have pre-defined opinions on taking their kids to a golf club (maybe less so in Scotland, where in my Southern Softie opinion, golf has less of a snobbery reputation in Scotland say than surrey). Get it at the local village hall, secondary school sports hall etc..

It's a great initiative, I think, and clubs that put the effort in are seeing real benefits.

 

[bluewolf]

Oh, and whilst we're talking about Juniors.. Golf is one of those few sports where parents appear to think they can teach their children.. The amount of miserable looking 10 year olds that I see at the range with Daddy sat behind them criticizing every move is frightening.. Contrast that with the group lessons a bit farther down the range, full of laughter and joking..

Parents - Let the professionals teach.. You can watch from the coffee shop.. You weren't particularly good yourself, so leave them alone..:angry:

 

[Rooter]

It's a great initiative, I think, and clubs that put the effort in are seeing real benefits.

Ah you see, http://www.clubgolfscotland.com/play-clubgolf/clubgolf-in-schools/ This is exactly what I'm talking about! I am not talking about finding the next McIlroy, just getting kids to enjoy golf.

This Clubs in Schools part is genius and would love to see it darn sarf, taken on a commercial level with clubs running on the weekends, not just a one off in schools PE curriculum.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Oh, and whilst we're talking about Juniors.. Golf is one of those few sports where parents appear to think they can teach their children.. The amount of miserable looking 10 year olds that I see at the range with Daddy sat behind them criticizing every move is frightening.. Contrast that with the group lessons a bit farther down the range, full of laughter and joking..

Parents - Let the professionals teach.. You can watch from the coffee shop.. You weren't particularly good yourself, so leave them alone..:angry:

Going way back now but I had a mixture of lessons and my dad teaching me and I much preferred my dad to the scary pro! Maybe the pro's lessons would have been better for my technique but on their own were less likely to get me interested. In fairness, my dad was a decent player!

What ever suits best for each kid, I think...

 

[Hacker Khan]

I know most clubs in my area are struggling to get junior members, they’re seeing a big decline. IMO, It’s relatively cheap but in today’s world most youngsters are taught the lazy way of doing things. I know some lads who stay only a few holes distance away from the club and they won’t walk home anymore, they phone their parents. One asked me for a lift and he only has 500 yards to go through the side gate at the course. Driving him home is the long way. He phoned his mum, it’s laziness to the extreme. I’m being serious, today’s world is about sitting in a room playing the X box, surfing the net or whatever. Parents are getting peace so don’t realise or care what’s happening.

I think blaming it on kids being 'lazy' is a bit misguided. As you could substitute lazy for 'more productive'. Why walk 2 miles when you can get your parents to pick you up and it will take you 5 minutes so you can get back home and get on with doing what kids do nowadays on their PCs etc. Also rightly or wrongly, a lot of parents believe what they read in the scare rags about there being lots of nasty people out there waiting to abduct your child. So a lot of parents do not want their kids to walk far on their own.

But blame the decline in participation by kids on the fact they are mostly lazy is probably not addressing the root causes of why youngsters are not being attracted to the game in sufficient numbers.

 

[bluewolf]

Going way back now but I had a mixture of lessons and my dad teaching me and I much preferred my dad to the scary pro! Maybe the pro's lessons would have been better for my technique but on their own were less likely to get me interested. In fairness, my dad was a decent player!

What ever suits best for each kid, I think...

I agree actually. I was just thinking back to a range session a few weeks ago where a poor young girl was constantly being "critiqued" by her Dad, with her Mum and Brother sat at his side.. I will absolutely guarantee that she won't be playing golf in 12 months..

When did a trip to the range become a family outing? My kids come with me sometimes (only 1 at a time though. I can't keep an eye on both of them and hit some balls). They have a flapjack and an OJ, then hit some balls with an old wedge.. If they like it, then perfect.. If not then no great loss. They're both active in other ways..

 

[Hacker Khan]

Going way back now but I had a mixture of lessons and my dad teaching me and I much preferred my dad to the scary pro! Maybe the pro's lessons would have been better for my technique but on their own were less likely to get me interested. In fairness, my dad was a decent player!

What ever suits best for each kid, I think...

I agree it's horses for courses. I've seen pushy parents following a teenage girl round a course on her own who looked as miserable as sin, as they were berating her for leaving putts short. And also seen dad trying to give lessons to their offspring on the range that would probably put them off for life (why do dads always get their kids to try and hit drivers, the hardest club to hit to get the ball in the air???) and also could well do them damage in the long term if what they were trying to teach them was ingrained. Such was the codswallop they were telling them.

But then again I've had lessons from one or two pros who I suspect would not have a clue how to relate to youngsters and would make the lessons as much fun as a funeral. Personally as a professional trainer and golfer myself I'd rather leave it to the pros, as I can probably cope with the basics of grip and be pretty sure the advice is sound, but after that I'm out of my depth when telling people what to do.