14 Year Old Son Playing On The High School Golf Team

[ks8829]

Congratulations! Will you be coaching him? I dont mean to sound presumptuous (sp?)...but I see soooo many people at the range "teaching" youngsters. They bark 5 or 10 swing thoughts at them between swings. It frustrates me so much to hear what these kids have to go through. Those "teachers" (most of whom are fathers and grandfathers) frustrate me so bad I have to leave the range almost every time they start up. It is like my dad when he was teaching me to drive. This isn't coming from a 20 year old either. I'm 36 and still feel like I want to yell at these guys and tell them to stop ruining the game for the youngsters.

I appreciate your comment. It kind of you to share your experience with your dad. I was talking with the girl golf coach who also has a son on the varsity boy team and he was explaining to me his experiences of parents living their dreams from their kids, so I decided not to say too much with my son unless he ask me and try to stop myself if I behave differently. I just happy that he finally decided to join the golf team because he was very close to not joining, so I feel lucky and will simple enjoy playing with him and his friends and try to only encourage him with positive comments only.

[Stacey_E]

I appreciate your comment....I just happy that he finally decided to join the golf team because he was very close to not joining, so I feel lucky and will simple enjoy playing with him and his friends and try to only encourage him with positive comments only.

You TOTALLY got the point of my original post and that tickles the hell out of me! I'm sure you have read this, but Harvey Pennick's Little Red Book talks a lot about the positive comments you can give an aspiring golfer. I remember how he said he would tell a golfer to "grip down" to avoid saying "CHOKE down". It really is those little things that can smash a golfer's fragile ego, ESPECIALLY when we are talking about teens. Anyway, to say it again, congratulations!

[ks8829]

You TOTALLY got the point of my original post and that tickles the hell out of me! I'm sure you have read this, but Harvey Pennick's Little Red Book talks a lot about the positive comments you can give an aspiring golfer. I remember how he said he would tell a golfer to "grip down" to avoid saying "CHOKE down". It really is those little things that can smash a golfer's fragile ego, ESPECIALLY when we are talking about teens. Anyway, to say it again, congratulations!

I gave him the option to play 9 holes tomorrow and with the busy schedule tomorrow, he has presentation at his High School spring sport teams in the morning and basketball conditioning camp in the later afternoon, with all that we are going out to play 9 holes around noon just to have fun and play with no coaching.

[ks8829]

My son has played in two matches with other High Schools golf teams and he shot 50 the first time and just shot 40 a week later playing nine holes. Their team as a total shot 196 the best the schools JV's team has played.

One of the players wanted to listen to music on the way to the match in the van, so the coach mentioned that a well known tour players listens to classical music just before the final round to help calm him down and it helps his tempo for his swing. They all decided to listen to classical music so they blasted the radio with all the windows rolled down again playing classical music, can you imagine when they pulled up to the stop light at the bus stop and everybody is wondering whats going on.

My son score looked like this

7 of 7 fairways hit
2 out of 9 greens hit
17 putts including two 3 putts
3 out of 7 up and downs

40 for 9 holes, par 34, so 6 over.

I walked the whole course while he was playing with another parent.

[Stacey_E]

One of the players wanted to listen to music on the way to the match in the van, so the coach mentioned that a well known tour players listens to classical music just before the final round to help calm him down and it helps his tempo for his swing. They all decided to listen to classical music so they blasted the radio with all the windows rolled down again playing classical music, can you imagine when they pulled up to the stop light at the bus stop and everybody is wondering whats going on.

I may be wrong, but I'd almost garuntee some of those classical songs were waltzes. That 3/4 time is just perfect for helping you understand the flow of the swing. Everytime I get too quick tempoed on the course I try to get a 3/4 song in my head.

I was on the range once when a kid came and set up next to me. Ten minutes latter his headphones were really getting to me. They were loud enough that I could hear them. Whatever he was listening to was really aggresive and heavy. That would have been awesome if you were getting ready for a cage match! The more I hit next to him, the quicker I became. Within 10 more minutes I looked like I had never hit a golf ball before. Seven out of seven fairways, with 43% up and down? THAT'S AWESOME. Sounds like somebody has been in his ear with strategy advice. It sounds like he took it to heart as well. Strategy goes a long way to scoring. CONGRATULATIONS!

[play4him]

I talked earlier in the thread that my youngest son was going out for his high school team. There were 30 kids trying out and they were only keeping 12. He ended up making the team, and is presently sitting about 6th. So he'll be right on the edge of making varsity or the top of B-varsity. I'm just glad he made the team and will get the opportunity to play daily. He'll start seeing the results as he starts getting into a rhythm.
As a freshman, I want him to play some B-varsity tournaments, so he'll have the chance to medal. This can really help with confidence for down the road.

[jamo]

In his league do they play match play or stroke play? I play High School golf in the fall and we play half and half.

[bogeymike]

196 is very impressive especially for a jv team. Good for them!

[ks8829]

My son played the same school as last week at their home course but lost by 12 strokes. 128 to 116. My son shot 49, best player shot 39 and next best score was 48 and coach shot -1 playing it as it lies.

Another, match today with a new school. let play that classical music.

[ks8829]

He shot 38 on a par 30 9 hole course and missed an easy 2 foot putt. The coach wants him to play varsity next year. I love it, he swing the golf club before we leave in the morning and after we get back, does he have the golf bug or what?

[ks8829]

played 18 holes with my son today and he shot 89

46 front nine
43 back nine

11 fairway hit out of 13 or 85%
3 greens on regulations out of 18 or 6%
33 putts (2 three putts)
4 up and down out of 15 attempts or 38%

---------------------------------------------

I shot 88
42 front
46 back

11 out of 13 fairways hit
4 out of 18 greens on regulations
33 putts
3 out of 15

[Stacey_E]

played 18 holes with my son today and he shot 89

Like father like son...or vice versa?

Either way, kids are funny and fickle. Wasn't it just a month or two ago you were just trying to get him to like golf, much less get better/good at it. Wow, big change it seems.

[mmcgee13]

Hey, sorry to break it to you guys but... I'm fourteen. I'm a 6 handicap. Yesterday, I played my first round since october. I shot 81 (+9) from 6500 yards on a course in FL. I hit 11-14 fairways, 12-18 greens. On a 480 par 5 I hit driver 6 iron into the green to twelve feet and lipped out the eagle. I'm not trying to be rude, but don't give your "allstar" sons more credit than they deserve.

[Stacey_E]

Hey, sorry to break it to you guys but... I'm fourteen. I'm a 6 handicap. Yesterday, I played my first round since october. I shot 81 (+9) from 6500 yards on a course in FL. I hit 11-14 fairways, 12-18 greens. On a 480 par 5 I hit driver 6 iron into the green to twelve feet and lipped out the eagle. I'm not trying to be rude, but don't give your "allstar" sons more credit than they deserve.

You know what, bully for you. I'm glad you are an up and coming phenom. I'll be looking for your name under the "Next Tiger Woods" threads on here. Lord knows we have plenty of them.

But since you came in so brashly with your first post, let me reply accordingly... If you were a member previously, and had been keeping up with the subject at hand, the entire krux of the post was a father trying to get his son to even be interested in golf. We have seen a man, who wanted to share something with his son, accept the fact that he can only encourage and not demand his son's love of the game. As time progressed they have come to share a game that is way more timeless than your lipped out eagle. Twenty years from now no one will care that you decided to rain on someone else's parade. But twenty years from now KS will be enjoying the game with his son. I'm glad you are so much more successful at the game than myself and many others on here. You obviously have a lot of natural talent. That is something that cannot be taught under any circumstance. Don't let your attitude get in the way of your ability to be successful both on and off the course. AND DON'T EVER PM ME AGAIN to check out your glorious and insightful posts. Welcome to the Sandtrap.

[Doctorfro]

Stacey_E......nice!

[Ian]

Hey, sorry to break it to you guys but...don't give your "allstar" sons more credit than they deserve.

welcome to the sandtrap LOL NICE entrance. /e-sarcasm

[Ian]

ks your son is a very lucky guy. Dont let him forget it.

[jmontgo3]

Sounds like you're both playing well!