Tell Me Your Story About Golfing With Kids

[BeauJoe]

I recently joined up here. I posted a short intro if you'd like to know just a little about me. 

In my journey with golf, I'm at the stage where I am introducing golf to a 6th grader and 3rd grader. We are starting out with some range time and a couple of rounds on a par 3 course nearby. I'd really like to hear your stories about golfing with kids. My oldest is an over-achiever, she holds herself to very high standards and she's already shown the ability to be frustrated by the game. My youngest is more of a free spirit, and funny enough, you can see it in their swings. My oldest has a conservative "make sure to get contact" swing, and my youngest swings with wild abandon. 

If you have advice on club brands or how to set up a bag for kids, especially with how they are growing like weeds, that would be cool too. 

[Club Rat]

Our Junior golf program starts kids at a very young age and the kids progress as their abilities become better. Most will start will the 3 hole program playing from around 100 yards. Then they move back to 150. Then the program advances them to 5 hole rounds.

They start at 150 and move back to 200 yards. When they are able to average a set scoring ability they will advance to 9 hole short course and then 9 hole long.

During the stages, staff will have instructional days along with fun games they play at the range. Each season consists of a putting contest and a family scramble with award dinner at the end of the season sessions.

The program has become very popular as the membership grows with over 300 kids participating. Parents are encouraged to keep scores for groups during the season.
Many just walk along and observe and assist when needed.

Most kids complete the entire program and they make many new friends.
My observance over the years is when kids play, they are learning safe manners and 
exhibit a good mannerism learning etiquette and sportsmanship and rules.

IMO, kids will enjoy leaning golf with other kids.
I enjoyed having my grandson in the program for several years.
It also provided me an opportunity to meet the children of many regular golf
members who I have golfed with through the years.   

[pganapathy]

I started golf with professional lessons around the age of 11 and have been golfing ever since.  Most of the stories with kids involved is of me.  However, I was also a rules marshal in my home course when we have junior tournaments there so have seen some kids who have become very impressive amateurs and even one or two who have become pro's.

Regarding clubs, see if they can use the same clubs provided it doesn't affect their swing.  If not, either consider getting shaft extenders or look at clubs where you can change the shaft with a tool and then replace shafts as necessary.  Not cheap, I admit, but might be necessary.  Definitely consider the younger child getting hand me down clubs from the elder child provided the specs fit.

[The Flush]

I regret that I quit playing golf when I had kids.  I did buy them a cheap set when they were young. My daughter was never interested. My son was interested but time, money, general sense of family obligation, and fear of slow play kept us from playing more that a couple times per year, particularly after a golf buddy moved away. My son has atrial flutter, a heart tachycardia problem, that made him quit playing soccer after his sophomore year of high school.  Three ablations were not able to fix it and he relies on medication to control it now. He decided to play golf instead of soccer and now loves it. He is much better than I am and will play golf at an NAIA college this fall.  This finally got me back on the course over the last 3 years and he is my main playing partner for now.

A younger friend of mine has 4 kids under 12 years old.  The older 2 are into golf and I end up playing with them sometimes when I play with my friend.  The younger 2 also occasionally play or at least ride along. We usually play an adult/kid scramble on Sunday nights when the course is not crowded.  It can be a lot of fun as the kids aren't too bad, but certainly not young Tigers either. Beginning this week I am playing in a Saturday night 2 man scramble league with one of the kids my partner.  I don't even know which one it is yet as I just agreed to it blindly.  I hope it is the 10 year old as he a slightly better swing than his older brother.  It will be interesting to see how that works out.

I sometimes wish I had my kids on the course like my friend does.

[BeauJoe]

10 hours ago, Club Rat said:

 

IMO, kids will enjoy leaning golf with other kids.

This seems like a great consideration. I'm going to reach out to the girls friends' parents and see if I can add more to the party. We have a first tee program here that I'd like to sign them up for, but they have so many activities and camps scheduled for the summer that the 6 week programs they run don't work for us.

8 hours ago, The Flush said:

My son has atrial flutter, a heart tachycardia problem, that made him quit playing soccer after his sophomore year of high school. ... He is much better than I am and will play golf at an NAIA college this fall.

That is great to hear he is playing golf at a high level, and that he found the right sport for him.

8 hours ago, The Flush said:

We usually play an adult/kid scramble on Sunday nights when the course is not crowded. 

I love this idea. It seems like a great way to play with kids. I'm going to keep this in mind.