Introducing Your Kids to Golf - Tips?

[jhawker23]

At age 4, I would say start out with putting, a little bit about golf etiquette. Also, you might show her the golf course as an ecosystem with its trees, grasses, greens and watershed as an ecosystem. She's in the green generation, so she might like this. Also, tell her that golf courses provide places for squirrells, rabbits, and chipmunks to live.

Great post. I completely over-looked this. I have a daughter that just turned 3 and I've been wrestling with this same question. She doesn't show the interest that my 18 month old son does and I've been thinking about how to expose her to golf. Her choice would probably be to roll around in the sand trap. She's just not showing the interest but she loves the outdoors, animals, plants, etc. What a great idea. Also, great point on the body movements.

I think we would all second the earlier post on not pushing too hard. I played with a father/son 2 weeks ago. The kid was 7 and the dad was drilling him like a wrestling coach. The kid quit after hole 4 and the dad made him feel even worse about it by calling his mom and having her come get him from the course. That left me with him alone. Hard to enjoy the round when the guy spends the rest of the round trying to convince me how good his son is and this was a fluke. Poor kid. I don't think golf will be too enjoyable for him.

[zeg]

I think we would all second the earlier post on not pushing too hard. I played with a father/son 2 weeks ago. The kid was 7 and the dad was drilling him like a wrestling coach. The kid quit after hole 4 and the dad made him feel even worse about it by calling his mom and having her come get him from the course. That left me with him alone. Hard to enjoy the round when the guy spends the rest of the round trying to convince me how good his son is and this was a fluke. Poor kid. I don't think golf will be too enjoyable for him.

Yeah, at this age the only lesson that's important is that golf (or whatever) is FUN. When I take my son, we're there for his amusement more than my own. If it means we putt for 5 minutes and then get back in the car, that's fine. If I do my job, he won't have unpleasant memories of being forced to wait at the golf course while daddy practiced. When he gets a bit older maybe there'll be times when he needs to start learning to work through some of the grunt work, but that's a long way off.

He just had his first ice skating lessons (in southern california, imagine that! his mom is Canadian though, so he's got to learn) and it's sort of the same thing. It's more about learning to be comfortable, learning that it doesn't really hurt when you fall down, and just having a little fun in a new environment. The dividends will come when, a few years from now, he's "at home" doing the activity. Whether he ever takes golf, skating, or any particular activity seriously isn't important. That he learns some self-confidence and grows up knowing he has the ability to do whatever he puts his mind to is the goal.

[ripsid]

IMO, simple... take her to the section with the usa kids clubs take her to the mat let her swing... if she prefers lefty fine. I love that my son and I (he's been swinging a club and shooting a puck since 10months old, he'd stand swing hit the ball fall, stand swing hit the ball fall....repeat repeat keep going.) Let them love the game, then in a few years let them learn the game... she's 4, my sons 3 ... hell he already hits the ball like a man at 3 ! LOL... once he's ready, I'll get him to someone that knows wtf to do :) LOL

Good luck, just enjoy hitting balls with your daughter.. Jack and i play closest to the tree ring in my front yard everyday.. or we go to the field and let him swing away. It's fun :)

-P

[tws1098]

At 22, with no kids I do not have any input on my own children, but I am a PE and Health teacher. I student taught at the elementary level and I will tell you from experience that you (and anyone else trying to teach small children) the more you can mix it up, the better. Make everything into a game or challenge. They love to feel as though they have accomplished something. This will also get them in the right frame of mind (without knowing it) about goal setting. As I am sure everyone knows, attention spans are short (1 + your age = approx. attention span for children) so keep sessions very short at the start, putting emphasis on FUN as others have said. Possibly an overlooked part of fun is YOU having fun. Students would feed off of my enthusiasm, if I was playing a game with them and smiling throughout, they generally had a great time. Good luck, I am sure it will be a great experience : )

[franky21]

My son is 5 yrs old and he can hit the ball pretty decent.I bring him with me to the range everytime i go and he loves to hit the ball in the back yard. I try to keep it simple and fun for him.He isnt a big sports watcher but for some reason he loves to watch golf.,I am just wondering if any parents have any experience in the teaching there kids the game department.I want him to be a very good golfer but i dont want to push him.I am sure some of you guys are like he is just 5 yrs old,but he loves to watch golf and wants to hit balls all the time.Advice please.

[Grumpter]

Originally Posted by franky21

My son is 5 yrs old and he can hit the ball pretty decent.I bring him with me to the range everytime i go and he loves to hit the ball in the back yard. I try to keep it simple and fun for him.He isnt a big sports watcher but for some reason he loves to watch golf.,I am just wondering if any parents have any experience in the teaching there kids the game department.I want him to be a very good golfer but i dont want to push him.I am sure some of you guys are like he is just 5 yrs old,but he loves to watch golf and wants to hit balls all the time.Advice please.

I can't speak to you from the parents perspective but rather the kids perspective. At about your kids age I had my first set of clubs (plastic, big-headed Flinstone toys) that I would knock plastic balls around the yard with. By 7 I was actually playing on a course (I thought it was later than that but talking with my father this morning he indicated it was around 7).

You seem to be going about it the right way so far - don't push. Either let him initiate the desire to hit some balls or if you are going out to hit balls ask if he wants to come along. Once I started playing around with real clubs the other kids in our neighborhood wanted to do the same. Many a day after school or a summer day was spent making courses out of each other yards using real clubs with plastic balls.

By the time I was 10-12 years old my parents would get me a yearly Jr. membership at a local 9 hole course. During the summer I would play 36-holes a few days a week. My sisters friend had an older brother that I would meet up with and we had a blast during the summers playing golf. I can still remember the excitement of playing in those days. The smell, look and feel of the course from first tee off and the buzz of cicadas as the temperatures rose. I have a lot of fond memories from the earliest years.

Another thing is ask him if he wants to play in a golf league. Looks like they have one in your area with kids as young as 6 years old - http://teeitupspringfield.com/Junior_League.html . If he shows continued interest in it then professional lessons should be on your list at some point.

[Mr. Desmond]

At age 4 (I have a 5 yr old boy), I suggest you let her do what she wants -- but if she goes to the green, show her how to putt so she doesn't tear up the green. At age 5, all I've done is asked him is to keep his feet in one place (don't move them everywhere) during the swing so he has a chance of hitting ball. I guess the next step is showing him the elementary parts of how the lower body works during a swing so he can make contact consistently.

[montru]

We moved to FL 7yrs ago and our local club was doing a summer golf academy, we took both my kids (son 9, Daughter 7) down to see if they would be interested. My son was a non starter, if it doesn't have wires attached and a console, he's not interested lol.

My daughter on the other hand, she was a natural. she started lessons after the summer golf camp finished and by the time she was 9 she entered the county junior championship, she came second in the under 10's, but she was very upset, when I asked her why, she said that the girl that won had moved her ball several times during the round. After that she lost interest in the game.

After a two year break, she asked if she could play again, to my delight I said yes. Now, at the age of 14, a freshman in high school she has made the golf team and has continued her lessons every week.

We play most weekends at one of our CC courses (we have five) and quite often don't keep score, we just go out and play.

We played our exec course yesterday (par 63 32/31) and kept score, front 9, I had 38, she had 40. on the back 9 I had a nightmare and she slaughtered me, I had a 45 and she had a 41.

It was the first time that she had beat me, I am sooo proud of her and the way she presents herself on the course etc, words cannot describe.

[montru]

I forgot to mention that my daughter is left handed but play golf right handed, it was not something we forced on her, right from the very start she said she prefered holding a club right handed. It can't be that bad of a thing, after all Phil is a right hander and plays lefty!