RyderJ

This is exactly what I was going to suggest...think of it like an extended putt, and your goal should to be to chip within three feet from that distance.

Thanks for the response...and good advice! He got a set of clubs for his birthday, and has been putting them to fantastic use...putting in the den into plastic cups, hitting shots in the backyard(starting to worry about this a bit though...lol) and he is at the range with me 3-5 times a week. I think you may be absolutely right about setting up a routine for him because at his age, it's more about muscle memory than thought process. Thanks again for the good advice!

Who are you...Bob Barker?

There is a shabby 9 hole par 3/driving range within walking distance of my house. It's poorly maintained and managed...and there is no dress code. Two days ago I was on the driving range and saw three gentleman finishing up on the ninth...evidently they were playing strip golf, as none of them had shirts on. To make matters worse, they were drunk and being loud and obnoxious. My point is, I guess when it comes to golf, the cheaper it is to use the facilities, the less etiquette the clientele will have.

My first varsity tournament in high school at our home course Hidden Creek in Burleson, Texas. I was paired with Stephen Lietzke, yes Bruce Lietzke's son, and to make matters worse, Bruce was walking the course with us, at a distance of course. My nerves overwhelmed me, I missed just about every fairway, three putted darn near every hole and ended up shooting a 104...while Stepehn Lietzke calmly and cooly turned in a 68..."my bad coach" lol

As I stated in my first post, I just recently began playing golf again after a long hiatus and my 5 year old son has taken an interest in golf as well. He has been to the range a handful of times and I took him to walk a par 3-9 hole course a week or so ago. I really just wanted to focus on him having fun, not really worrying about how he swings the club just yet...until he began persistently asking me how to hit the ball better. I want to teach him, but it seems all the drills I know contain a little more complexity than he is ready for at 5 years old. So, does anyone have any tips or ideas for teaching a small child how to swing a club properly? Thanks in advance...

Ball striking...most definitely

Way back in H.S. my coach taught me to "throw" my hands down at the ball, almost simulating a karate chop I guess...I'm pretty sure that's what boots was referring to about dropping your hands.... Another way of saying it would be to pretend your downswing is a race between the club and your hands...and you want your hands to win.

The first time I picked up the clubs again I shot over a hundred, then the next time I was down to 93, have kind of hit a wall though at around 87-90...I really need to find my putting stroke again and I'll be in the low 80's easily...hopefully.

Lol...to those who said it comes and goes, well of course it does, that's part of the game. I suppose the point I was trying to convey is that persistence is key...that is all.

Hey all, new to the forums(see my intro thread in the welcome section), but not to golf.... I've always, always, always had trouble hitting my driver and fairway woods straight...until yesterday. After nearly two decades of failed attempts at correction, it seemingly happened in one simple change in thought process before beginning my swing. I adjusted my swing thought to focus only on staying off my toes during my down swing....and I'll be damned...it worked! Instantly after that simple adjustment I began hitting not only my driver and woods, but irons as well, longer and straighter than ever before. The ball's flight path was beautiful...and I couldn't help but laugh at myself... Long story short, I guess persistence pays off

Obviously I'm new to the site, but I look forward to interacting with everyone that participates on these boards. After a six year hiatus from golf (military, then construction), I'm back where I love to be once again...on a golf course. I'm currently pursuing a Bachelor's in Business Management, then hopefully on to the Golf Academy of America. I began playing at 10, played throughout H.S. and was 2.5...I long to be that low again, sooner hopefully, rather than later. I started swinging the sticks again two months ago, and still need a serious upgrade in weaponry. These old RAMS just don't cut it anymore...not that they ever did in the first place...lol. Sorry this has been a bit more long winded than I would've liked, guess I'm just excited to be back into the game I love once again. And again, I look forward to interacting with everyone on these boards with an open and objective mind.