Golf or Football

[colingolf]

Hey, I'm 14 and want some advice. Next year when I'm a freshman I want to try out for the freshman golf team. But I also want to play football. If I make the golf team I'll be fine with not playing football. But if I'd don't and football has already begun and I can't play I probably won't try out for golf again and just play football. I like football more than golf, bit I'm starting to like golf alot. I shoot >45 on 9. I'm probably 3rd best at my school. But another school goes to the same high school as I will and they have some good golfers also. Most of my friends want me to play football because I am pretty tall and wide for my grade. 5'10 170 lbs. Also I have all summer to lower my score. Thoughts??

[saevel25]

Hey, I'm 14 and want some advice. Next year when I'm a freshman I want to try out for the freshman golf team. But I also want to play football. If I make the golf team I'll be fine with not playing football. But if I'd don't and football has already begun and I can't play I probably won't try out for golf again and just play football. I like football more than golf, bit I'm starting to like golf alot. I shoot >45 on 9. I'm probably 3rd best at my school. But another school goes to the same high school as I will and they have some good golfers also. Most of my friends want me to play football because I am pretty tall and wide for my grade. 5'10 170 lbs. Also I have all summer to lower my score. Thoughts??

That decision is up to you. You'll probably get 99% play golf on this forum because we are all golf fanatics. I'll be the words o wisdom here. Do what you want, not what we tell you. If you like Football more, then do that. You are a freshman, if you don't like football then switch to golf next year. Either decision isn't final.

I played a year of Soccer in high school then switched over to golf. Then I didn't do any sports for my final two years in high school. You know what, I was ok with that.

[Ernest Jones]

No concussions in golf. :-D

[colingolf]

Hahahaha

[PeterKratsios]

Golf is more fun to play, football is more fun to watch.....sooooo GOLF!

[MS256]

Can't you do both? Some kids around here do, but they are at a little bit of a disadvantage in golf against the really good players that only play golf.

If you have to choose one over the other, choose what you like and what you think you do best. I played football and my son played football and each of us have injuries that will be with us for the rest of our lives from it (mine much worse than his).

Even though I love football if I had it all to do all over again, and knew what I know now, I would have bought my son a set of golf clubs when he was little and we would have spent all of our time on the golf course.

Golf wasn't an option for me when I was a kid because there was only one course in the county, it was too far away, and only "rich people" could afford to play there.

[David in FL]

Do you prefer individual competition or team sports?  While you'll play on a golf team, the competition is mano a mano.  Some (like me) prefer that, while others would rather compete with a complete team.

Golf is also a game for life, while you're unlikely to play football after High School.  But, having said that, football players tend to get more girls.....

.....not that something like that would matter to a teenage boy.

[RH31]

Give football a try. If you don't like it you can always switch to golf next year. The only chance you'll get at football is high school, but golf will be there the rest of your life.

FWIW, I still miss playing football and I'm 54 years old. Absolutely the best sport I've ever played in my life.

Good luck!

p.s. Make sure you show up in shape!

[colingolf]

I don't think you understand. I have played tackle football since 3rd grade I'm in 8th now.

[colingolf]

I've started offense and defense my whole middle school "career"

[colingolf]

My school only allows us to do one sport a season.

[irishmike27]

I would say football. I had the same choice and went with golf. While I enjoyed playing in the golf team, the team element in football or other team sports is very different than an individual sport like golf-and since you likely won't have as many chances to experience that after high school, you may want the opportunity while it exists.

[tefunk]

Colin - I played football through college, and then coached college football for a few years. One can only play football for so long, but can golf their entire life. So... You can do both! Maybe play football while you can, and still play golf, but focus on it more once your football days are over. Just something to think about... But the decision is all yours in the end.

[rustyredcab]

Football:

It is now or never -- unlikely to play football after high school and zero chance you will be playing when you are 22. That said, even just two years of high school football messed up my knees, hands, hips... I was too small to play varsity but played every down for two years and loved it. As others have said, it is a real team sport. I still recall the best game I ever played (as an individual) was a game my team lost by a lot.

Golf:

If you make the golf team, you will be a good golfer for the rest of your life. I've never known anyone who played high school golf who was not a good golfer as an adult. I could not have made my high school golf team (and it is much more difficult now than it was in the 70's). If you can make the team, do it. Find out how they decide who makes the team -- just scores during tryouts or is "potential" part of the equation (things like how good your swing looks). You should have an idea before football starts if you are good enough to make the golf team. If you think it will be close, you have a very tough decision.

[NJpatbee]

I would give football a try and see if you enjoy it and also get playing time.  Keep up with the golf when you can and remember, you can change your mind next year.

One other question, isn't golf a Spring sport in high school and college?

[Wally Fairway]

Collin -

Good luck with your choice.

I would say that your decision as a freshman only affects your freshman year, you are not making a 4-year commitment to the football team or the golf team. If you make the football team, and like it - that is great, but you can continue to play golf and if you start shooting a little better and next year or even as a senior you decide that you would rather play golf then go for it. The one thing that is different about golf is that there is an objective standard to see who should make the team and who should play in matches - it is all about your score; football is very subjective as to who makes the team and who starts.

It worked out pretty well for my son, who played football & soccer right up through the 8th grade; and then due to them playing in the same season in high school he choose to play football - but the soccer coach would "jokingly" try to recruit him every year.  (as a side not the concussion comment is very true and you should at least keep this in mind if you ever have to deal with them - we've dealt with that in my family and in the school, it is a very serious and real issue)

[Lihu]

Hey, I'm 14 and want some advice. Next year when I'm a freshman I want to try out for the freshman golf team. But I also want to play football. If I make the golf team I'll be fine with not playing football. But if I'd don't and football has already begun and I can't play I probably won't try out for golf again and just play football. I like football more than golf, bit I'm starting to like golf alot. I shoot >45 on 9. I'm probably 3rd best at my school. But another school goes to the same high school as I will and they have some good golfers also. Most of my friends want me to play football because I am pretty tall and wide for my grade. 5'10 170 lbs. Also I have all summer to lower my score. Thoughts??

Is it really an either/or decision? I know that at my son's school they are different seasons. There are one or two kids that played freshman football and tried out for golf. So, this summer do the football training, then get your clubs out around February/March.

Your ranking of 3rd is pretty good, so I'm sure you'll make the team.

As for the score, your team needs to average 42 or below to make states (>68/116 course rating on 18).

[WUTiger]

Colin - I played football through college, and then coached college football for a few years. One can only play football for so long, but can golf their entire life. So... You can do both! ...

U.S. Open winner Hale Irwin - now on the Senior Tour - was an all-conference defensive back at the University of Colorado, where he also played golf.

Rams QB Sam Bradford is a scratch golfer.

I'm bothered by the fact that so many people want to force you kids to "choose a sport" while you're still in grade school. Sports are supposed to be fun. Whatever you choose, good luck!