Trying to teach my son to golf...

[hipcheck4u]

My oldest son is 6 years now. I got him his first real golf clubs back when he turned 4. He's a very energetic, emotional, and talkative kid, so taking him to the golf course has been an iffy proposition, at best. I've been waiting for him to get a little more mature and patient (ha!) before taking him for any formal lessons. I did have a breakthrough today- we were putting in our living room, and he finally agreed to place his left hand above his right on the grip. He is a stubborn guy, and he had always refused to fix this previously.

I am very much looking forward to having quality time on the golf course with both of my boys. The little guy is only 22 months, but gets excited when he sees golf on TV or one of my clubs.

So, dads out there, what is your story of teaching your boy this sport?

[James_Black]

While not a dad I started golf when I was pretty young so here's what happened.
There were group lessons for young kids up at the local driving range and my dad signed me up for them and they helped teach the basics.
After that I started practising with friends and things took off from there, try get him to play with other young kids and he'll love it.

[Bullitt5339]

My 7 year old likes to go hit balls at the driving range, but he's still at the stage where he just wants to swing at them, and doesn't really listen on how to actually hit them well. My 11 year old just started hitting balls, and he's actually taken to it, although I'm not a good teacher for him, so if he continues to show interest, I'll get him a couple lessons so that he starts out with good habits.

[DonW]

I started both my sons around 5 to 7 years old on a par 3, my oldest started beating me on shorter holes at the age of nine. I never told them how to do anything unless they asked, the exception to this rule was proper course etiquette. We quit as soon as it was no longer fun, often this was only 5 to 7 holes. By there teen years they could both beat me soundly, I did sign them up for group lessons with other kids for a couple years but always verified with the pro that the priority was fun and nothing more. My oldest still plays every chance he gets, my youngest is so busy other sports have taken precedence with his spare time now but I bet he will take it up again in a few years.

[ks8829]

I have a 15 year old son playing on the high school golf team and a 9 year old daughter. They both started when they were 6 and 7 years old and the what seems to work is to encourage them and not to focus too much on technique and proper grip, it really does not matter. Whats more important is that have fun and enjoy being with you. Let them putt on their own and encourage them with positive coaching. If you bring a friend along sometime this helps. Both my kids started with group lesson and the First Tee program.

Its the greatest to play golf with your kids, I had a chance to play with both my son and daughter last year and look forward to more outings.

[jamo]

When I was about 2 or 3 my dad would bring me to the golf course practice green and we would putt. When I got older he took me to the driving range, and I think I mainly got into it because I was amazed at how the range was two stories tall. When it closed, we went to a new course and he would buy me a (grape) soda if I putted with him. When I was about 6 or 7, we played a par 3 course pretty regularly. I didn't seriously start playing until I was about 10, when I took some (crappy) group lessons in the summer. When I was 12 I began practicing hard to make the school team. And I did.

My advice to anyone who wants their kids to play golf is to encourage them, even reward them, if they tag along with you. My father brought me to the putting green (partly because my mom was working) when I was 1 and I would watch him putt. People talk about how Tiger's dad would have him watch him hit balls in their garage when he was 6 months old, and look how he turned out (golf wise at least). And make it fun. Learn how to play the putting game "21." But above all, if they don't like it, don't force them. My sister hates golf, and it takes all the promising in the world just to get her to come to the range to film my swings, so we don't make her play.

So... that's my life story. Your turn.

[bong_crosby]

I don't have kids but my dad taught me to golf by allowing me to tag-a-long with him in his evening 9-hole rounds. He'd give me his 7 iron and let me pound it down the fairway while he finished the hole. When he holed out, he'd yell to me to, "pick it up", and then we'd resume on the next hole. This was in the 70s before there were so many golf instructors and junior golf programs so my dad was my teacher for those developmental years. His instruction was based around Jack Nicklaus' "Golf My Way".

I was going to suggest sending your son to an instructor, but the more I think about it, I think having your dad as your instructor is 100x better than some guy who will only see his swing every other month. You'll know every nuance and subtlety to his swing. I remember my dad being able to suggest a slight change that would improve my play for the day.

Finally, a little off the subject, I envy your time to come with your sons. I have so many great memories of playing golf with my dad and my brothers. There's nothing like spending an evening with your family on the driving range or on the course. When I was 14, I watched my dad ace a par 3. I got so excited that I forgot my shot and ran all the way to the green to confirm the ace. My dad asked me later if I didn't just tap it in with my foot. He was so cheap that he beat feet out of there after the round because he was afraid of having to buy rounds. There are so many other great memories but I won't bore you with them.

The worst day came when he collapsed and died in my brother's arms one the second day of a father/son tournament in which they were leading. He died way too young at 69 but he died doing what he loved and having passed that passion on to his sons.

So, to answer your question, yes, pass on this great pastime to your kids without worry of creating the next phenom but just concentrate on teaching your kids patience, civility, sportsmanship, and integrity .

[joepro23]

I can't give you the dad perspective, but I could write a million words on my childhood golf experiences. I'll spare you guys though and make a long story short...

My dad got me started when I was 6 at a driving range which was 2 minutes from our house. My dad was a real golfaholic back then and dragged my brother and I along all the time. I used a neighbors' set after he outgrew it and my dad just showed me the proper grip and the fundamentals, giving me space to figure it all out. We had little contests at the range to keep it interesting and of course you must aim at the range ball-picker when it drives by. I didn't get any formal lessons and actually have never had a lesson to this point (23 now). My dad was good enough to make some tweaks to my game along the way, and I basically taught myself how to play. I remember becoming obsessed with improving. I read all sorts of golf books as a young kid (Nicklaus' Golf My Way, Ken Venturi's book, Harvey Penick, Golf Digest, etc.). My county was fortunate enough to have a junior tour that allowed kids age 9 to 18 yrs old to play in 8 tournaments once a week throughout the summer. That was a great for my game and I met a ton of kids my age, some of whom I still play golf with today. At 12, my brother and I became junior members at a local semi-private club and we would get dropped off to play an afternoon round every weekend with my dad who was coming off his morning 18. I went on to play high school and division 1 college golf. I still play with my dad all the time and it truly is the greatest experience to enjoy a round of golf with family.

[normdamarine]

Well said... Sorry to hear about your pop... My son is 5 and I tell you what he can hit the ball pretty good. I just told him how to hold the club and put a red X on the face of his club and told him to hit the ball with the X... He loves it and it is truly great.

[SirPuff]

I have just very recently gotten in to the game of golf at the age of 16. I think its great that fathers are trying to get their kids to play at earlier ages. While your son may not fully reap the benefits of a golf lesson I still think he can improve from one. I started off not being able to swing a golf club to being able to hit fairways and greens in a matter of weeks thanks to my PGA proffesional. Golf galaxy does great 1 on 1 junior lessons if there is one near you, they even make a video out of your lesson and post it on the web for you to go back to. If your son enjoys being able to crush a ball I think he could improve tremendously from a lesson.

heres just an example of how golf lessons have helped me improve in just a few short weeks.
http://www.v1sports.com/Academy/incl...swingid=352677

Hope I helped you out
Jack

[kleraudio]

Jamo, time to buy a tripod !!

[jamo]

Jamo, time to buy a tripod

I know, right!

[whetstone]

Outfit him with equipment that fits him, provide a place for him to go at it, and get out of the way.

[retexan599]

I get to introduce my grandchildren to golf...all of the above advice probably applies...and at the end, we stop for whatever his/her favorite fast food snack is...a stop at McDonalds, say, is a great way to ensure they will remember the outing, regardless of the golf...

[leezer99]

My son is two now and can't get enough of it. I take him to Roger Dunn with me and he will go over to the short stix, pick one out and then take it to the hitting bay. Here he is back in November on the front lawn (we use whiffle balls at home and real balls at the course).

[montru]

I tried to get my son then aged 11 and my daughter then aged 9 into golf and he hated it and was not interested in the slightest, she on the otherhand is a natural after just four months of weekly lessons she entered into the county junior open and came second for the under tens, she said the girl that won it kept moving her ball and it wasn;t fair and as a typical nine year old she got demoralised and said she didn't want to play anymore, I spoke to the coach and she said "give her time" sure enough about a year later she wanted to play again.
She is now 12yrs old, not interested in entering any comps but is very keen, her coach says if she was to commit hersef to it she could go all the way, whenever we are at the range for a lesson or just a practice session people walk by after she has just hit a drive and say WOW, for a small framed 4'9" 12yr old blond haired blue eyed girl she hits an average 200 yd drive, it is truly great to watch, she needs to work on her consistant ball striking (but don't we all).
My only concern is that she will discover boys and lose interest again!