When your son out drives you.

[4right]

I started my son playing golf when he was 4 yrs old. Now he's 14 and 5'10. He's play'd in a youth program, local youth tournaments, and summer camps up till 2 years ago. He had been playing club travel basketball for the past 2 years. He wanted to start playing again, but he'd grown out of his junior clubs. So I bought him a used set of Callaway X-18 iron and some Callaway woods. We started going to the range a couple of weeks ago. He's had one lesson with his long time youth golf coach. He's hitting a nice draw, but just raw potential. We played a twilight round yesterday, and he surprised me. He realized all the sudden how much power he has with a driver in his hands. He started slicing his drives but keeping them in play. He even out drove me on a few holes. He was hitting greens, but his putting was all over the place. We came to a 170 yd par 3 that's over a deep ravine. He walks up to the tee, drops his ball and hits and 8 iron. He hit it pin high 10' right of the pin. I hit 7 iron short of the green, and bogied the hole. He par it:) 

It's so much funner for both of us playing golf together vs. watching him play basketball and me yelling at him. 

[Lihu]

It happens. . .Currently he out drives me by 30 yards on average if he could use his driver. He's kind of rusty after tournament season. . .His 5W is the same distance as my driver.

[nevets88]

Huh, was just reading this article. Youza.

Quote

By the time Xander was 13, he was driving the ball more than 300 yards, with his father as his swing coach.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/19/sports/golf/xander-schauffele-fulfilling-father-stefan-legacy.html?mcubz=3

 

[Lihu]

1 minute ago, nevets88 said:

Huh, was just reading this article. Youza.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/19/sports/golf/xander-schauffele-fulfilling-father-stefan-legacy.html?mcubz=3

Wow, that's serious talent! PW 161 carry to a spinning stop 3 feet from the hole? That's why he's a pro. . .

[dennyjones]

4 hours ago, 4right said:

It's so much funner for both of us playing golf together vs. watching him play basketball and me yelling at him. 

This is one of the few sports that can carry over generations.   I wish I'd started my kids in golf.. 

[4right]

I've played a few rounds with my dad and my son. Special times for sure. My dad still has his golf cart with his higher performance speed pedal, but he's in his late 80's and beyond his golfing days. 

[Lihu]

36 minutes ago, 4right said:

I've played a few rounds with my dad and my son. Special times for sure. My dad still has his golf cart with his higher performance speed pedal, but he's in his late 80's and beyond his golfing days. 

My dad is 86 and broke his ankle inline skating.

[Hacker James]

41 minutes ago, 4right said:

I've played a few rounds with my dad and my son. Special times for sure. My dad still has his golf cart with his higher performance speed pedal, but he's in his late 80's and beyond his golfing days. 

You mean I only have 10 yrs left?  Back to topic, I got my daughter interested in golf several years back. She out drives me about 40 % of the time, but likes the game and even has an account at her local PGA Super Store. My grand daughter was golfing with her high school team, but had a collar bone injury so she does not golf much anymore, grandson is coming along also. I presented him with a set of clubs, bag, e.t.c. a short while back. I do not push them into it, and only nudge them along with a bit of mild coaching from time to time. (short doses are easier to accept to keep up interest). Big smiles when they kind of figure things out as they go.  Introduce - correct if necessary - let him go.  

[Buckeyebowman]

It happens to us all. They'll beat you at golf, basketball, ping pong, whatever.

Heck, I remember how PO'd I got when my little brother started beating me at pool! But then he turned out to be the second coming of Wimpy Lassiter! Lord! Could he shoot some 8 Ball!

I also remember a time at a friends house shooting hoops with his young daughter. She had gotten interested in B'ball and I was trying to show her a few things. I think I was in my early 40's. We went in the house and the daughter announced to her Mom that if I practiced I could get really good! I laughed my butt off!

I explained to her that, at my age, the thinking changes from "could get to be" to "used to be"!

[bones75]

My question is, is it 100% paternal/maternal pride and a good thing?  Did it make you feel old at all?  I remember the first time out driving my Dad, and I wondered if he felt bad about it. It happened when I was already in my late 20's, about the time my dad started to have "hang-ups" about getting old. I'm not sure, but i think I may even had laid off a few back then.

[4right]

My son is in a major growing spurt right now. His body is growing faster than his maturity level. He sliced a few balls on to the opposing fairway. I wanted him to understand that players on the opposing fairway are hitting into him. He needs to stand behind a tree for protection from getting a ball in the face. Also to practice good golf etiquette by not distracting or impeding the play of the players on their hole. "Wait till they hit, then walk out and hit your ball back onto your own fairway, and not at them." 

Didn't bust my son's chops about anything else, just let him swing away. Proud for sure. My dad didn't take up golf till he was near retired, so I've always out drove him. In his late 80's my dad could probably still play, but he has balance issues. 

Edited September 25, 2017 by 4right

[Rip62]

My 21 year old out drives by a lot. I find the fairway more so it evens things out. 

[colin007]

Driving distance doesn't matter. You've got Old Man Strength that he doesn't even know exists.

[scotth]

Played a round yesterday with a guy who is my age, and his 16 year old daughter.  She was out driving both of us by 20 yards on average, and on the first par 5 by about 45 yards.  

Things really got really humbling on the next hole, a par 3 that was 156 yards to the center of the green, we both pulled 7 irons and she pulled a 9 iron.  

 

Edited September 28, 2017 by scotth

[Lihu]

2 hours ago, scotth said:

Played a round yesterday with a guy who is my age, and his 16 year old daughter.  She was out driving both of us by 20 yards on average, and on the first par 5 by about 45 yards.  

Things really got really humbling on the next hole, a par 3 that was 156 yards to the center of the green, we both pulled 7 irons and she pulled a 9 iron. 

I wouldn't even make any sort of comparison to myself at that point? 9i carry 156 yards? That's past the average PGA pro distance!

[satchmodog]

27 minutes ago, Lihu said:

I wouldn't even make any sort of comparison to myself at that point? 9i carry 156 yards? That's past the average PGA pro distance!

I was the same in my late teens and early 20s. Our local course had a hole that was a 150 yard par3 that teed off on top of a hill, over the drink and a set of huge sandboxes. My dad takes a 6 iron and still splashed it because he chickened out a bit. I grab a 9 and he tells me I'll never clear the stream and if I do, I'm in the trap. Now, took a nice  swing and put it over the pin by a few yards. But got so much loft, it just landed with a thud. Of course, I three putt haha. In was also sending drives out past 300 by the time I was 18 and maxed out at somewhere right past 330 when I drove over the green on  330 yard hole. 

My father always encouraged me because I had a great swing and a ton of distance. He got me lessons to help my short game, got me some better clubs instead of his hand me down blades. 

My greatest regret in life is not having a son of my own or a daughter for that matter to best me on the links. 

He was always proud of how I could hit drivers and irons. The wedges and putter were always the D on my report card lol. He eventually started taking me to the best ball matches his company held. Great bonding time you'll always remember if you do it right. There is a wrong way. My friend's father stopped playing with him because the son was regularly beating and out hitting him. So he hasn't golfed in 25 years because a petty grown man decided his ego was more important than bonding time and nurturing his son's game. My friend won't have anything to do with golf to this day and it's unfortunate, he was very good and with kids of his own, a great way to get them to build memories and advance another generation of golfers.

Edited September 28, 2017 by satchmodog
Fat Italian thumbs on phone keyboard

[BallMarker]

My 16 year old son is a 5 handicap player, who plays on his HS golf team.

I can knock it about 270 with my driver. My son started to out drive me about a year ago. Now he is knocking on the 300 yard mark......

Damn. Aging sucks. 

9 hours ago, Lihu said:

I wouldn't even make any sort of comparison to myself at that point? 9i carry 156 yards? That's past the average PGA pro distance!

I think I remember watching Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott, Bubba Watson, Koepka...or someone like that, hit a 9 170......

I know for sure I watched Tiger Woods hit a 7 200yards.

But, I think their clubs are tricked up... 

[Lihu]

12 hours ago, BallMarker said:

I think I remember watching Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott, Bubba Watson, Koepka...or someone like that, hit a 9 170......

I know for sure I watched Tiger Woods hit a 7 200yards.

Seems about right. The average distance might not be a great indicator of potential for the longer hitters.

 

12 hours ago, BallMarker said:

But, I think their clubs are tricked up... 

Nah, just their bodies.