Last Place!

[andycook]

My 7 year old son Nicholas and I played at the Parent-Child Tournament Legends of Champaign GC.  Legends is a 9 hole par 3 course where I play nearly daily.  This is both of our first tournament ever.  While I think Nicholas looked forward to playing I was a bit apprehensive as I don't play with strangers and have problems with audiences including the guy on the lawnmower mowing the course.  There were 9 teams playing.  I know the course manager was a bit disappointed by the turnout but it was the first at that course and it was really hot still.

The teams started on 3 different holes.  Parents and children alternated teeing and alternated shots on the same ball.  I really liked this format as it helped me work with Nicholas on realizing that if I don't have a good shot he can help me and if he doesn't have a good shot I can help him.  I really flubbed on one early hole (my blow up hole) which allowed me to turn to Nicholas and say "help me out buddy."  Tears are ok and it is ok to be unhappy with the shot or how we swung but we dig in and try out best.  There were still tears over the ball(s) lost in the water.  He collects golfballs and tees and never wants to use them.  His bag has a million balls and tees and yet he still uses mine.

Nicholas and I were paired with Tom and Wyatt.  A retired gentleman and his 13 year old grandson.  They were very nice and kept it low key with lots of compliments from both Tom and Wyatt to Nicholas as we played.  That really helped Nicholas see how to be a good sport and behave on the course.  It also helped keep the pressure off me too.  Tom and Wyatt were key to making this an enjoyable event.  I have to say Wyatt carried his team.

I did have the jitters.  For the most part my jitters came in the form of not as much power.  I think I concentrated so much on not having an errant shot that I just hit everything more easy than normal so the balls did't go as far.  Our best holes were 4s and our worst were an 8 and a 7.  Some of the snowman was me making the point to Nicholas that partners help each other out.

The highlight came on hole 6 where Nicholas hit a 20' chip shot from the first cut that rolled and would have been in the cup except for the flag.  He had several nice chips.  The lows came were I think we were in the water on every hole with 3 times being my fault and only one Nicholas'.  At the end of the tournament Nicholas informed my instructor that I was the cause of Team Cook's demise.

We came in last place 9th out of 9 teams but Nicholas asked if we could play the one in August so he must have enjoyed it.

[Lebowski]

I think the tears that were shed by your son shows just how much the game means to him and how much he enjoys playing well. I would let your son determine if he plays in any more tournaments (sounds like he wants to) that way the game will never feel like a chore to him. In your next tourny, I would reinforce the idea in him that the only thing that matters is that he has fun while golfing.

[montru]

I play in the Father-Son tourny on fathers day weekend every year with my daughter, she's now 14 and plays very well. The first year we played she was very tearful and frustrated about every bad shot, but at the end of the day she said she had enjoyed it and was looking forward to next year.

We have just played our fourth one and I think we came in around 12th place out of 50+ teams, the format is a two man scamble.

I'm sure if you keep your son interested in the game and get him lessons and make it fun you will have many years of fun together.

My daughter starts high school as a freshman next month, she was out on the driving range yesterday having a lesson with our local pro'. the high school golf team coach came up and started talking to our pro and then went over to my daughter and ask her to try out for the golf team, it has been my daughter's goal from 6th grade to make the team as a freshman.