My Son meets Tom Doak...

[Peter_Herreid]

...unfortunately not in person, but in spirit, during our first father-son experience at Pacific Dunes on February 19th.



As many of you know, it takes a lot sometimes to bring a smile to the face of a 12 yr old boy, or to impress someone who is more familiar with XBox, or TV shows, than CBM or the Good Doctor, but my son must have said "wow" at least 12 times during the trip around...



He was enthralled with scrambling into parts of the bunkers (like this one back left of #14) the rest of us would not dream of trying to play toward the hole from, and blasting his way out...[always in a non-slow-play, non-obtrusive manner, PC police!], and trying to see which hollows and humps in the fairways he could "disappear" into, to hide from me...

The caddies with our group that day were a complete credit to their profession, as they treated him with just the right amount of encouragement, humor, admonishment and enthusiasm...

His spirit of discovery that day was a reminder to me of all the things I love about this game, and its ability to bring out the "boy" in all of us, given the chance.

I do find it disheartening to hear that so many of the threads here recently take turns to the mean-spirited or self-important.  Perhaps all any of us need is to see the smile of someone close to us "discovering" what is fun about the game again...

I have other shots of Pacific in a different thread...

Peter

[Mike_Sweeney]

Peter,

What is that hanging from his belt ?

[Kyle Harris]

Great stuff Peter... quick advice for your soon that will bring his game to new levels as he matures...

His posture in the first picture is hunched... I'd recommend getting him to straighten his back out so he can turn on the ball easier. Use this drill:

Have him stand with his feet shoulder width apart and straight up with no tension - arms at his side and a golf club held at the end of the grip in his left hand. Tell him to raise the club to arm level keeping his arm straight so it is right out in front of him. Then tell him to look at the clubhead while doing the following:

1. Stick his butt out until his hamstrings stretch and his weight goes to his heels. This ensure that he is bending from the hips and no at the back.

2. Bend his knees slowly until his weight evens out on his feet (his weight will come back to the balls of his feet)

3. Drop the club to the ground by relaxing his left arm, take his grip and move his EYES to the ground where the club is....

It is important that his eyes be focused on the clubhead through out this exercise and that his back remainds relaxed and straight.

This is the golf stance and will help him turn more effectively. Do this drill on the range for a few sessions and it will help his game immensely.

[Jim Franklin]

Peter -

Great stuff; I can't wait to play my first round with one of my girls.

Jim

[wsmorrison]

Peter,

Kyle's advice worked for me!  Of course he waited until the 12th hole to give it up.  I ended up giving him a run and lost on the 18th.  I need to shed more than a few pounds, but I was making turns again that I hadn't since I changed from my finely tuned athlete's body to the mess, er mass, I am today.

By the way, there's nothing better than getting out with your son or daughter.  I have 2 boys and it is a blast.  The time we spend together on the golf course is special.  My oldest son is really talented.  He is psyched for golf this year so he can improve and make the high school team next year, that is after he graduates from middle school this year.  The snow is falling again in Philadelphia, can't wait for spring!

Hope our paths cross again this year, Peter.  I look forward to seeing you and Dan again.

Best,
Wayne

[Peter_Herreid]

Mike--

That is his handy-dandy Cog Hill golf towel--he was playing junior caddie as well, trying to earn some money for a class trip to D.C. next month...

You didn't think I could let the Sweeney boys monopolize the family bunker pix, did you?!

Peter

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Enjoy it while you can.  There comes a point (in their teens) when they start to outdrive you by about 150 yards, a distance which is a lob wedge to them and a 6-iron to me.  

[PThomas]

very cool Peter..

I've played 9 with one of my 3 girls, and hope to increase that number this year