My son has started playing!

Mine started at 4, beat me at 15, played high school golf, he did well, and hasn't looked back. But he did not pursue it even with talent and a 115 swingspeed. He wanted to do grown up things.

He is now 21, and I was trash talking with him last night. Told him my 90 SS was going to take him in the Spring.

My other son is 6, and he has a Callaway Kid's set. I started him with "whippy tempo master" clubs and he wants to go out with me. I remind myself to not say too much and just let him do what he wants (for the most part).

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Originally Posted by jetsknicks1 

My oldest son (25) also played high school golf. Unfortunately I wasn't very involved in his life at that time but golf has actually played a huge part in bringing us closer together over the last 4 years. I'm buying my youngest son a set of clubs for Christmas and and I also try to not tell him too much when we play. I tell him to put everything on a tee if he'd like and the only real advice I give him is in regard to ettiquite, fill your divots, rake the trap and so on.

I'm trying to do the same thing with my youngest!

As a 6 yr old, he doesn't realize that he cannot yet control the golf ball, and aims a little too close to people. I'm constantly on the watch because he wants to do what he wants to do with little thought for others - a 6 yr old. I haven't taken him on the course.

When my oldest son could hit the ball and play decently - at 10 years old - we hit the Robert Trent Jones Trail in Alabama for a week for a couple of years. Fun.

I bring my 4 year old son with me all the time.  He loves going to the range with me and  hitting balls.  And he loves to ride in the golf cart.  He even walked 18 holes w/ me and kept up a good pace.  I won't poke to much fun at him for making me carry him to the car after the round was over.. lol.    I am trying to introduce my son to several different sports w/o pushing him towards any.  If he wants to play, as so far he does, great.  If he doesn't, oh well.  But so far he seems to enjoy golf and he loves spending time with me, which I love. 
 

Note: Getting him to stop talking long enough for me to hit a shot is the hardest part, lol!

I got my stepson into the game bout 3 yrs ago. He made the high school team after 1 yr of playing but didn't play many matches because there were a lot of good seniors, but this coming season they will have graduated so it will be time for him to step up to the plate as a junior.

I actually started a thread asking for advice about him - when he first started he had a great attitude and didn't let bad shots bother him much, but over the last year or so just one bad hole puts him into a funk where he becomes morose and forlorn, and worse, he doesn't participate with the group - watching other's shots, helping to find balls, picking up the pin, etc. The wierd thing is, after appearing to thoroughly not enjoy a round, he will then ask when can we play again, so I guess he's addicted (I don't push him at all).

Actually, the last few rounds we played I have noticed his 'tude getting better even though he is not really playing better. I think he is finally seeing the truth: golf will destroy you if you don't have patience, dedication, concentration, and a good dose of not taking yourself too seriously. We will see how things develop..

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetsknicks1 

Congrats on your son making the golf team. I would guess that he gets more upset now because he's gotten better and expects more out of himself. I'm sure he'll come around when it comes to being more of a "Team guy". Golf is a social game and I'm sure you'd hate to see him miss out on that aspect of it.

I think you are right on - he now expects way too much of himself, which adds pressure, which can cause poor performance, which adds more pressure...in a vicious cycle. I think he will pull through if he sticks with it.

I think he also is jealous of his sister, who at age 11 started hitting ~200 yd drives with a Calaway girls set pretty much right from the start about 1 yr ago.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetsknicks1 

 

How many others have the privilage of playing with their father/sons?

My dad played when I was really young and quit the game before I was in the 2nd grade.  I have fond memories of riding in the cart with my dad and pulling the pins when I was little...LOL     He quit the game and neither of us ever played when I was growing up.  

We both started playing about 20 years ago (after I was grown and married), and we cherish every opportunity to play golf together.    We live 740 miles apart over the past 12 years, so the experience is even more special now because we only get to play a handful of rounds per year.    He's getting up in the years and is in his 70's.....so we both really look forward to the time we have on the golf course together.

My son started playing golf at age 5.  He was hooked for about 2 years, but I wasn't able to take him to he course in the evening for a year because my wife was traveling for work, and he completely lost interest in the game because I wasn't able to get out in the evenings.  I'll get him back.......in due time.   For now, my son likes to bowl.  My wife and I gave him a bowling birthday party, and he absolutely LOVED IT.  He kept asking me to take him bowling........so I did.  Now we both own our own balls and shoes and we bowl every weekend...LOL  I bowl right after I finish playing golf.......(can make for a long day) he wears me out.....we typically bowl 10 games each on Saturday and 15 on Sunday!!!   .....and this is after I play golf.  LOL  He's 10yrs old.......and rolled a 212 with a kids ball in his first year of bowling.  He already averages about 150.  I'm a bowler now.........and my son is 100% responsible.  LOL....good father/son time....

oh i know it.. my one uncle picked up the game when he retired, now both his sons play. Its awesome, there so hooked into the game. That's why i love golf, its just a mystical game. 

There is no guarantee getting kids involved means a lifetime spent playing. My parents started my early. I had a membership at the local muni and played on junior teams through jr high. By high school my interests changed despite living on the course at a private club. I had access to the course, lessons, practice facility, all paid for by my parents with yearly dues. It didn't matter. As soon as I got a car I became a gear head. I played sporadically at best and only after being goaded by my parents to join them. After college I took it up again but mostly because my employer was a golf nut and he practically insisted. I was a 3-4 times a year player during the 90's. Due my golf past I was still a good stick but I really didn't care. I was there to drink beer as much as golf. I sold my Eye 2's sometime prior to 1999 and completely walked away other than the occasional scramble played on rented clubs and only because it was a professional obligation to network. Almost 15 yrs passed before I became interested again. But in the beginning my motivation was spending time with my Mom after losing my Dad a few years ago. She an my step-dad are avid so it was a way to get back into their world. I am thankful I caught the bug again but I can't say for sure if it will hold my interest for any period of time.